Mumbai Airport: How fight over wheelchairs is causing flight delays at one of India's busiest airports

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Mumbai airport have faced significant disruptions due to ongoing conflicts between two rival unions, affecting baggage handling and causing delays for passengers. The dispute centers around the allocation of wheelchair attendant jobs, a highly coveted task among airport loaders.

Conflict Over Wheelchair Duty

The tensions stem from a battle between Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (BKS) affiliated with Shiv Sena (UBT) and Hawai Karmachari Sena (Hakse) of MNS, both vying for a larger share of the lucrative wheelchair job allocation. The conflict, ongoing for over two years, has escalated in recent months, leading to flash strikes by BKS loaders in August, causing delays for thousands of passengers.

Passengers Affected by Delays

On August 18, passenger Simran Gill, who paid a one-way fare of Rs 35,000 to fly from Leh to Mumbai, experienced a two-hour delay in receiving her luggage due to a strike by the loaders. Another passenger also reported a 90-minute wait for baggage at Mumbai airport the following day. Such incidents have become increasingly common as the union conflict intensifies.

Impact on Operations

Agile Airports Services, IndiGo's ground-handling subsidiary, employs around 1,800 loaders and 500 drivers. These workers are assigned various duties, including baggage handling, aircraft cabin cleaning, and the coveted wheelchair duty, which is rotated among loaders daily. The competition for these roles has led to frequent disruptions in operations, with the MNS union reallocating loaders from ramp duties to wheelchair