“All My Medicines Are in That Bag”: Chaos at Patna Airport as Air India Express Flights Land Without Luggage; Home Delivery Promised
Patna, June 22: Passengers arriving at Patna’s Jayprakash Narayan International Airport on Saturday morning were left shocked and furious after two Air India Express flights landed without any of the passengers’ checked baggage.
The incident involved flights IX-2936 from Bengaluru and IX-1634 from Chennai, which arrived at 8:23 AM and 8:50 AM, respectively. What began as a routine landing soon turned into chaos as passengers circled empty conveyor belts, only to realise that none of their luggage had made it to Patna.
“I waited for more than an hour, but the belt was empty,” said one disappointed flyer.
Passengers were initially directed to collect their baggage from belts 4 and 3. However, after prolonged waiting and confusion, airport staff informed them that due to bad weather in Bengaluru, their luggage had not been loaded onto the aircraft.
Frustration escalated quickly. “Despite repeated enquiries at the airline counter, there were no clear answers about where our bags were or when we would get them,” said a passenger, identified as Mr. Sharma.
Tempers flared as irate flyers confronted airline staff. “All my medicines are in that luggage. I can’t wait another day,” one visibly distressed passenger shouted. Another demanded that the airline be shut down for failing to carry out basic operational duties.
CISF personnel and airline representatives were deployed to calm the crowd. Airline staff cited weather disruptions in Bengaluru and Chennai, as well as aircraft weight restrictions, for the failure to load checked baggage.
“The luggage will be delivered to your home addresses once it arrives,” airline staff told passengers.
An airport official, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that weight restrictions were a significant factor. “This occasionally happens when aircraft are departing from Patna. Due to the airport’s shorter runway, airlines sometimes offload baggage to stay within safe take-off weight limits,” the official explained.
As of Saturday evening, Air India Express had not released an official statement on the matter. However, airport authorities indicated that the missing baggage was expected to arrive in Patna by Sunday.
Meanwhile, affected passengers remained stranded with only their cabin luggage—and growing frustration. The incident has once again raised concerns about Air India Express’s operational efficiency and crisis communication with passengers.
