DIBRUGARH, Oct 21 - The Eastern Assam Chamber of Commerce & Industries has lodged complaint with the Civil Aviation Ministry against the Airport Director of Dibrugarh Airport for denying plying of Air India�s baggage tractor on the apron area for pulling and pushing the baggage carts.
The denial of plying of baggage tractor of Air India has forced the ground staff of the airlines to do the job of pushing and pulling of the baggage carts manually to and from Air India aircraft. This practice is causing undue delay for the passengers, who are made to wait for long time to collect their luggage.
The members of the Eastern Assam Chamber of Commerce & Industries and Dibrugarh Bar Association were recently astonished to see ground staff of Air India doing the job of baggage tractor as the tractor meant for the purpose was not permitted to ply in the area by the Airport Director on the grounds of not having �individual� insurance cover although, all Air India equipment including baggage tractors are plying normally in other airports including Guwahati and Kolkata under same conditions.
In a letter to the Civil Aviation Minister, the traders� body has said that the Airport Director at Dibrugarh Airport cannot stop Air India personnel from using their baggage tractor within the apron area as the Air India had already made payment of the insurance premium amount to the insurer and the authorities of the Air India had already given an undertaking regarding the said payment to the Airport Director.
Moreover, the insurance premiums are paid by the airlines on centralized basis and not on individual basis for each and every equipments.
�The disturbing and arbitrary attitude of the Airport Director of Dibrugarh Airport against Air India is really condemnable,� the organisation stated in the letter. The Eastern Assam Chamber of Commerce & Industries has urged upon the Ministry to intervene in the matter and direct the Airport Director at Dibrugarh Airport to allow plying of the Air India baggage tractor within the apron area of the airport for the speedy service of the passengers.
