Airlines' check-in counters in a mess, says parliamentary panel

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on transport in a report slammed various airlines for not efficiently manning checkin counters and creating artificial situations to deny boarding to confirmed ticket holders.

In a strongly worded 26-page report "Issues related to improving consumers' satisfaction of airlines" tabled on January 4, the committee on transport, tourism and culture said: "The check-in process and collection of luggage are cumbersome and time consuming. What the passenger wants is a quick checkin, without long queues and a smooth process of security check.

"Despite the huge claims of airlines regarding the check-in process, the Committee is compelled to observe that the check-in counters are in a mess, especially those of the low cost airlines such as Indigo."

It also said: "The Committee has noticed reports of some private airlines creating long queues at the check-in counters to delay the process of check-in so that passengers miss their scheduled flights. This compels them to buy tickets at exorbitant prices to travel in the next available flight."

The Committee said the airlines are overbooking flights and creating later, "artificial situations to deny boarding to the confirmed ticket holders. Many a times it has been noticed that adequate number of personnel are not posted to man the check-in counters."

It recommended that arrangements be made to ensure that the passenger does not spend more than 10 minutes in a queue at the check-in counter to get a boarding pass.

"Whenever there is rush of passengers, additional staff should be deputed at the check-in counters. AAI and the other airport operators may provide adequate number of check-in counters and self checking kiosks at the airports."

--IANS

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