Chaos at KIA over two unclaimed bags from Muscat flight

NT Correspondent

Chaos and confusion took over the staff at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru on Sunday evening when they found two unclaimed baggage, without any passenger checking in, on an Air India Express flight coming from Muscat t o Mangaluru via Bengaluru.

The airport security was alerted and a thorough check of passengers and the flight was conducted. The flight was not allowed to take off to Mangaluru even five hours after its arrival at the Kempegowda International Airport.

Airport sources said that 189 passengers were on board the IX 818 flight, a Boeing 738 aircraft, which departed from Muscat at 10.30 am. It reached Bangaluru before its scheduled time of 3.25 pm. Of the total flyers on board, 94 were to alight in Bengaluru, while 95 others were to continue their journey to Mangaluru.

“After the flight took off from Muscat, the on board staff realised that the baggage had been checked in without the passenger. This is a massive security risk,” said a top airport source.

Soon after the flight landed at KIA, it was taken to a remote bay and security forces inside the airport, including the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) , were alerted. A thorough screening of all passengers and a search of the aircraft was carried out.

“The dog squad was also deployed,” another source said. After double checks, passengers who were to alight in Bengaluru were allowed to go. “The probe was still on and even by 8.10 pm, the flight was not allowed to depart,” the source added.

As per the original schedule, the flight was to reach Mangaluru by 4.35 pm. It was later revealed that the baggage belonged to a woman passenger, who had booked her ticket from Muscat to Mangaluru. “She had checked in on time, but missed going to the gate connecting to the aerobridge after her security checks. This mistake caused confusion,” sources said.

On the massive delay at KIA, the source said that in cases where a security risk to flyers is involved, the flight cannot take off unless a seven-member committee gives clearance.