With passengers shopping for as less as possible because of this rule, shopkeepers complain that it is resulting in losses for them.
Feel the rule has led to losses as people curtail their spending spree
BANGALORE: It’s not just the passengers who are complaining about the rule allowing only one piece of hand baggage in an aircraft. The rule, enforced since a plot to blow up an aircraft was foiled in London in August 2006, has the owners of shops at airports up in arms as well.
With passengers shopping for as less as possible because of this rule, shopkeepers complain that it is resulting in losses for them even as authorities maintain that security is their chief concern. In fact, shop owners are keenly awaiting the verdict on a petition filed by Syed Siraj.
Siraj, who owns two stationery shops at the transit lounge in the Chennai airport, has filed a writ petition saying that the rule has affected his business and asked that the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) be ordered to allow passengers to carry an additional hand baggage. Alternatively, he demanded a remission or exemption of the rent charged by the AAI for the shop. He claimed that he had lost Rs four lakh of business sine the implementation of the rule. The AAI and CISF have been given notices to file their counter statements.
“Passengers have become very selective in purchasing goods from the non-duty free shops. That has made our business go down by 10 per cent,” says the owner of Nataraj jewellery at Mumbai airport. After the GVK and South Africa Airports consortium took over the Mumbai airport the rent has been doubled. “We now pay Rs 50,000 against the earlier Rs 20,000,” the owner added.
“We have no objection to co-operate with authorities in following security measures. But why disallow us from selling goods and let these be checked for safety?” asks Shankar, who runs a bookstall at Bangalore airport.
The Central Industrial Security Force, that is responsible for security at airports, says that it only executes orders issued by the regulatory body Bureau of Civil Aviation Security. Officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Chennai airport refused to comment.
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