Af ter 3-week wait… now long queues for luggage
FURIOUS holidaymakers left waiting three weeks for their luggage are having to queue up at a ‘baggage repatriation’ centre to see if it has turned up yet.
The temporary facility was set up near Edinburgh Airport as travellers arriving in or returning to Scotland faced ongoing chaos.
Passengers landing this month have been unable to collect their cases, with many condemning the lack of communication and support from baggage handlers.
Aviation company Swissport, one of the main handling agents at the capital’s hub, set up the temporary baggage facility at the Royal Highland Centre so people could reclaim their suitcases.
But while many were reunited with their luggage after waiting for days, and in some cases, weeks, others were yet again turned away without their bags. The facility was packed with both locals and holidaymakers who had their trips to Scotland disrupted after having to wait several days to retrieve their belongings.
Dozens of people were queuing at the facility at Lowland Hall, at the centre, in Ingliston.
Carrie Ferguson, who had flown back from a work trip to Barcelona on Monday, was forced to wait in Edinburgh for four days to collect her baggage.
She was finally able to collect her suitcase yesterday after having to delay plans to be home in Fort William, Inverness-shire, by Monday night. She said: ‘We flew in and waited for two, three hours and then the airport made a call and said “Go home you’re not getting your bags tonight”. There was about three grand worth of clothes and stuff in there. I’ve never been happier to see dirty washing.’
Many passengers had been told earlier in the week to collect their suitcases from another baggage facility on Tuesday,
Traveller Julien Amouroux, 47, who flew in from France, said:
‘It was very disorganised’
‘When we arrived on Monday no one explained anything.
‘After two hours, there was one announcement to say “Please come tomorrow”.
‘We arrived the next day in the heat, it was very disorganised.
‘There was a girl who said she had been waiting for her luggage for 22 days.’
A Swissport spokesperson said: ‘We apologise to passengers who’ve experienced delays to the return of their baggage at Edinburgh Airport.’