Kempegowda International Airport near Bengaluru is facing renewed scrutiny over accessibility after a disabled elderly passenger reportedly waited about 25 minutes to use a toilet designated for passengers with disabilities, according to a video circulating on social media and reported by Prajavani.
The incident occurred at the airport in Devanahalli. The video shows passengers waiting outside the accessible toilet while a person inside reportedly took a prolonged time to leave. The elderly passenger is heard saying that she and other travellers need such facilities, while other passengers can use general toilets. She also expressed concern that her flight departure time was approaching.
The passenger reportedly said this was the third time she had faced a similar problem. Her comments, as shown in the video, focused on the need to give priority to passengers who require accessible facilities rather than treating the toilet as an ordinary convenience when other options are available.
The video prompted a response from the airport administration on social media. The administration said it had asked the relevant team to examine the matter and requested that the location and contact details connected with the incident be shared through a private message. The response did not, in the material reported by Prajavani, specify the exact location of the toilet, identify the person who used it or announce any immediate operational change.
The incident has raised a practical question about how accessible facilities are managed inside large transport hubs. Accessible toilets are intended to support passengers with disabilities and others who may require additional space or features because of health or mobility needs. A prolonged wait can be particularly difficult in an airport, where passengers must also manage security procedures, boarding deadlines and long walking distances.
At the same time, reactions to the video have also highlighted a limitation in judging access needs from appearance alone. Some people argued that passengers requiring accessible facilities should receive priority. Others noted that a disability or health condition may not be visibly apparent, and that it would be inappropriate to assume that the person using the toilet did not need the facility.
The reported episode therefore involves both priority use and the wider question of how airports can ensure that accessible toilets remain available to those who need them without relying on visual judgments about disability. The video has not, in the material available, established whether the person inside the toilet had a disability or health condition, or whether airport staff were present when the waiting passengers sought assistance.
For Bengaluru airport, the immediate response is an internal review by the relevant team after passengers share the precise location and contact details with the administration. The airport’s findings and any measures it announces will determine whether the reported delay reflected an isolated incident or a recurring access-management problem.
