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Air India makes for a popular carrier to net tickets aboard flights bound for several Indian cities from London. The airline’s elaborate policies and compensations in terms of lost, damaged and delayed delivery of baggage ensures safe and easy travel.
No matter how much time one spends booking tickets aboard flights especially when the travel involves long-haul international flights, adversities such as lost, damaged or delayed baggage may leave one baffled, killing all the excitement of holidays. While airlines are accountable for lost, delayed or damaged luggage, there are no set rules about the compensation that passengers can get in such cases. Hence, it is important for travellers to get well acquainted to the operator policies pertaining to lost, damaged and delayed delivery of luggage. This article discusses the elaborate policies stipulated by Air India, the national carrier of India, which remains one of the most popular choices for netting tickets on board long-haul flights to the country from the UK.
Lost Baggage
Passengers booking tickets aboard flights with the Indian national carrier whose bags are damaged or delayed or are lost may contact the airline official present in the arrival hall and report about the same. An official will then file a report and will hand over a copy with a reference number for follow up.
Compensation
In case a passenger receives damaged bags or if the bags are lost, Air India settles the claims as per the WARSAW CONVENTION or the MONTREAL CONVENTION. According to the WARSAW CONVENTION, the compensation amount is calculated at the rate of USD20/- per kg and according to the MONTREAL CONVENTION,the compensation is calculated to a maximum of SDR1000/- per passenger for loss/damage/delay of luggage (Special Drawing Rights). But those booking tickets aboard carrier’s flights may grab maximum benefit from a higher liability limit by simply making a special declaration at check-in counters by paying an extra fee.
Damaged Baggage
Air India stipulates that in the course of normal handling, the hold luggage may get minor cuts, scratches, dents or soil. Also the operator does not takes responsibility for broken feet/wheels or handles, damages in case the bag is over packed, damage or loss of pull handles, damage to items of fragile or perishable nature and manufacturing defects.
On international sector, the operator may provide with a suitable replacement in case the luggage is damaged beyond repair. One may contact an official in the arrival hall and report the same.
Delayed delivery
Air India specifies that if the delivery of package is beyond 24 hours and the passengers have no access to their wardrobe, then they would be reimbursed with an interim expense of GBP 50.00 or equivalent in local currency, on international sectors. For those booking tickets aboard flights bound for Indian cities with the operator, this amount is INR 3,000.
Flyers travelling with the operator may contact an airline official in the arrival hall and report if the luggage is delayed. The airline official will file a report and hand over a copy with the reference number to follow up.
Policy for loss/damage or delay in delivery
Visitors booking tickets on flights with the Indian national carrier must avoid carrying valuables like jewellery, negotiable papers and currency in their hold luggage. The carrier also specifies that it shall not be held liable for delay in the delivery of or loss/damage to unpreserved objects, cash, jewellery, securities, holdings, inimitable books or publications, manuscripts, business documents, photographic equipment, silverware, antiques, artefacts, artwork, valuable metals and other such valuable objects.
For more and updated details on lost, damaged and delayed delivery of baggage of the airline, one may log on to www.airindia.com.