Passengers at Chennai airport have alleged that contract staff providing assistance to senior citizens and other travellers are collecting money beyond the prescribed charges, including for wheelchair support.
Chennai airport handles more than 60,000 passengers a day, with domestic operations at the T1 and T4 terminals and international services at T2. Travellers say the airport already faces issues such as old infrastructure and difficulties in moving in and out smoothly.
Typically, staff are deployed to help senior citizens, persons with disabilities and pregnant women with tasks such as handling luggage, escorting passengers in wheelchairs and assisting with check-in. As per passengers, a fixed fee is in place for such services, generally ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 depending on the assistance required.
However, travellers allege that some staff are pressuring them to pay more than the set amount, with demands reportedly reaching Rs 2,000 in certain cases. A social media post by an affected passenger said he paid the stated Rs 1,000 for a “meet and greet” assistance service for his elderly parents, but was allegedly forced to pay an additional Rs 1,000.
Passengers have urged airport authority officials to take action against the contract firm involved, saying the alleged forced collections have become an added burden amid other operational problems at the airport.
