Mumbai: Over 240 passengers who landed in Mumbai over 10 days ago on an Air India (AI) flight from New York may finally see an end to their long wait for their bags. On March 18, flight AI116 was diverted to Medina, Saudi Arabia, after a suspected fire in the cargo hold. AI said all checked-in baggage was offloaded there in line with global safety protocols. It said it had to rely on a partner carrier to transport the bags to Mumbai as it does not operate scheduled services to Medina. “Regulatory permissions during the Eid holiday combined with the geopolitical situation in West Asia contributed to delays.”It said payload restrictions arising from longer flight routes also constrained efforts to move the bags earlier despite multiple attempts. “All baggage has arrived in Mumbai and is awaiting customs clearance,” it said, adding that teams are working with authorities to ensure delivery to flyers. TNN
