‘Is this how you handle…?’: Video of IndiGo staff manhandling luggage goes viral, airline responds

As the video started picking up on social media, IndiGo responded to the post saying that the items seen in the video were not customer luggage and that they take “utmost care” while handling their passengers' baggage.

IndiGo, India's budget domestic airline, on Friday was heavily scrutinised on social media after a video clip of the ground staff seen mishandling baggage while transferring it from the aircraft to the trailer went viral. While some air travellers complained that their bags are often mishandled or even broken, others spoke about how the luggage never reached their destination.

Screengrab from viral video: Indigo ground staff seen manhandling and tossing luggage from the aircraft to the trailer. (Twitter)

The video, first shared on Twitter by a user who goes by the name @triptoes, showed a few IndiGo employees tossing boxes – that the airline denied being “customers' possessions” – from one of its aircraft to the trailer.

“Hi @IndiGo6E is this how you handle all flight luggage everyday or today was special?” the Twitter user asked.

“It’s always like this,” wrote a Twitter user, replying to the video, while another person said that they were now “concerned of flying #IndiGo in the future”.

Another user pointed out in the comments that IndiGo got rid of the 'fragile’ stickers that they used to provide for delicate luggage. “They've also gotten rid of the fragile tags because 'we treat all bags like they're fragile'. Sure looks like it,” the user said.

IndiGo responds

As the video started picking up on social media platforms, IndiGo responded to the post saying that the items seen in the video were not customer luggage and that they take “utmost care” while handling their passengers' baggage.

“The boxes in the video shared are not customers' luggage but instead, these are fast-moving, light weight containers carrying non-fragile cargo and packed by the shippers for us to endure fast maneuvers. We'd like to assure you that our customers' possessions are our priority and they are handled with utmost care,” IndiGo said.

However, the response led to a flood of complaints by IndiGo travellers saying their baggage had been damaged.

One such passenger shared another video, in the same thread tagging the airline, and complained that their luggage was being thrown around in the same manner. “In that case @IndiGo6E, do these look like fast-moving, light weight containers carrying non-fragile cargo? They were throwing our luggage like they were rocks,” the user wrote.

“My bag was broken as well and Indigo did nothing even after an official complaint to the desk,” read another reply. IndiGo replied to the person saying they will look into the matter.