Air India Flight Grounded At Mumbai Airport, Passengers Stuck On Board For Over An Hour Amid Strike

New Delhi: An Air India flight arriving from Hyderabad was grounded shortly upon landing in Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Monday, reportedly due to a strike by employees of a third-party ground handling agency at the airport. 

As a result, passengers were left stranded inside the aircraft for nearly an hour at Mumbai airport, subsequently facing extensive delays in reclaiming their baggage.

Why the chaos

As per reports,  flight operations at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were disrupted following an unannounced strike by employees of AI Airport Services Ltd (AIASL). 

Reportedly, the government-owned ground handling company provides crucial services to Air India, Air India Express, and several international carriers.

What Air India Spokesperson said

Following the delay, the airlines in a statement said, “Industrial action by employees of third-party ground handling agency at Mumbai airport is impacting the operations of Air India Express and Air India. Our airport teams are working closely with all stakeholders to minimise inconvenience to guests and restore normal operations at the earliest. We appreciate the understanding and patience of our guests during this time.”

The sudden industrial action caused widespread delays in aircraft turnaround times, baggage handling, and boarding processes.

To stabilize operations, Air India and Air India Express initiated contingency measures, including revised flight schedules and the re-accommodation of affected passengers, while actively coordinating with airport authorities and the ground handling agency.

Meanwhile, the Air India staff strike has been called off following a successful mediation meeting.

Chaos at baggage reclaim area

Chaos erupted at the Level 2 arrival baggage reclaim area as a massive number of Air India passengers were left waiting for their luggage. 

The disruption was triggered by a strike called by the AIASL (Air India Airport Services Limited) staff, completely halting baggage handling operations.