Air India Class Action Says Airline Loses Luggage at ‘Alarming Rate’

An Air India passenger alleges in a class action lawsuit that the airline misplaces and loses luggage at an “alarming rate” at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

Lead plaintiff Tayabali Lokhandwala claims in his class action lawsuit that the practices and policies of Air India allows passengers’ luggage to be damaged or lost.

Additionally, the Air India class action lawsuit states that bags are not correctly weighed because of malfunctioning scales at the airport.

The plaintiff says his luggage was lost after a flight on Air India he took in January 2016. He claims he was placed on an email list of passengers with lost luggage and was shocked by the extent of the issue experienced by Air India customers.

“The Missing Luggage Reports contained pictures and other information about luggage lost on Air India operated flights arriving at O’Hare on particular days,” describes the Air India lost luggage class action lawsuit. “The missing Luggage Reports demonstrate the Defendants are losing Air India passengers’ luggage at an alarming rate.”

The plaintiff says that Air India found his bag three weeks after he reported it missing.

Accusing Air India of “systemic failure to handle passengers’ luggage with appropriate care,” the Air India missing bags class action lawsuit alleges that the airline also lost his personal items but refused to replace or reimburse him.

According to the plaintiff, Air India airline officials refused to replace the items because the weight of his luggage had not changed; however, the plaintiff says that the scales used to weigh his bag were unreliable.

“Lokhandwala weighed the bags three different time in seriatim with the scale used by Defendants’ showing a different weight each time,” alleges the Air India missing luggage class action lawsuit. Although the plaintiff says he pointed this out to Air India representatives, the airline still denied his request for compensation for his missing items.

“On March 4, 2016, Defendants sent an email to Lokhandwala denying his request for compensation for the lost items, stating that ‘[s]ince there is no loss of weight, we are unable to entertain you [sic] claim for compensation,” the Air India class action lawsuit states.

As of 2016, Air India operates flights to 48 domestic destinations in India and 36 international destinations, according to the Air India lost bags class action lawsuit. It is the third largest airline in India and generated $2.9 billion dollars in revenue between 2014 to 2015.

The plaintiff seeks to represent all Illinois consumers and businesses who purchased a ticket from Air India and whose luggage was lost by the airline.

According to the Air India missing luggage class action lawsuit, the airline has thus far refused to reimburse him for his missing items, a pair of pants and a jacket.

Lokhanwala is represented by Adam S. Tracy of The Tracy Law Firm Ltd.

The Air India Mishandled Luggage Class Action Lawsuit is Tayabali Lokhandwala v. Air India Ltd., Case No. 18 CH 05715, in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.