MUMBAI: A high-stakes battle over wheelchair duties among rival unions at Mumbai’s airport has led to significant disruptions in baggage handling and delayed flight departures. This conflict has drawn attention after passengers experienced extended delays retrieving their luggage, with some waiting over two hours. On August 18, a passenger on IndiGo flight 6E-648 from Leh faced a frustrating delay. Despite landing at 1:30 pm, their bag did not arrive until after 3:30 pm, leading to passenger complaints and a post on social media platform X.
Similar complaints about long wait times continued on August 19, highlighting ongoing issues with baggage handling. The crux of the issue lies in the coveted wheelchair duty among airport loaders. Agile, a major ground handling service provider at Mumbai airport, employs around 1,800 loaders and 500 drivers, who work in three eight-hour shifts. Duties range from baggage and cargo handling on the ramp to check-in counter operations within the terminal. However, wheelchair duty is highly sought after due to its perceived benefits: less physically demanding work, air-conditioned environments, and the potential for tips, including those in US dollars.
For security reasons, duties are rotated daily among loaders. The competitive nature of wheelchair duty has intensified with the entry of the MNS’s HAKSE union in June 2022, which has shifted the dynamics previously dominated by the Sena’s BKS union. With MNS demanding a 50-50 split of the wheelchair duties, conflicts have erupted, particularly because Agile team leaders, aligned with BKS, manage the allocation of these jobs. As a result, MNS loaders have been pushed to start their own parallel allocation, leading to disputes and accusations of unfair practices. On July 23, MNS loaders assigned to ramp duty were redirected to the terminal for wheelchair duties, a move BKS opposed.
BKS has responded by staging sudden walkouts, especially during peak hours, which has exacerbated delays for arriving passengers. These actions have prompted criticism from various quarters, including aviation sources who claim that such union disputes are infrequent at other Indian airports, with Mumbai being a notable exception. The ongoing strife has led to calls for intervention from top political figures. Concerns have been raised about the impact of these union disputes on Mumbai’s reputation as an airport hub, with comparisons drawn to similar issues at Thiruvananthapuram airport, though on a smaller scale.
