'Check-In Counters At Certain Airports Found Unmanned...': Govt Raps Airlines, Issues Directions

The directions by the Ministry of Civil Aviation come amid reports of chaos at Delhi's IGI airport with long queues and delays in check-in.

Crowd of travellers wait to check-in for their flight at Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi Airport) in Delhi ( Image Source :Getty Images )

Amid reports of chaos at Delhi's IGI airport with long queues and delays in check-in, the government on Tuesday pulled up airlines, saying check-in counters at certain airports were found unmanned, especially during morning hours, leading to congestion and causing inconvenience to passengers.

Issuing a slew of directions amid a deluge of complaints on social media over congestion at airports, the Ministry of Civil Aviation asked airlines to deploy adequate manpower at all check-in and baggage drop counters.

To ensure smooth flow of passengers, the ministry requested the scheduled airlines to place real-time data on their social media accounts regarding waiting time at respective airports' entry gates.

"Scheduled airlines are therefore advised to deploy sufficient manpower at all check-in/baggage drop counters well in advance to ensure de-congestion and smooth flow of passengers at airports," it said.

With domestic air traffic on the rise following easing of Covid-19 restrictions and the ongoing festive season, airlines carried more than 4.18 lakh people on December 12, as per official data.

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In recent days, there have been rising passenger complaints about long queues and waiting hours at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in Delhi.

IGIA has three terminals -- T1, T2 and T3. All international flights and some domestic services operate from T3. On an average, it handles around 1.90 lakh passengers and about 1,200 flights daily.

On Monday, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia paid a surprise visit at Delhi Airport. 

As a barrage of complaints flooded social media over the weekend, Scindia said the number of entry gates would be increased from 14 to 16. In a meeting with officials, Scindia directed that a board should be placed at every entry gate to display the waiting time before entry.