CHAOS AS LUGGAGE CLOGS UP AIRPORT
STAFF corridors at Scotland’s biggest airport are being crammed full of luggage – with employees saying there’s nowhere else for it to go.
Union bosses say the situation has created an “unsuitable and unsafe working environment” for staff.
This picture, taken at Edinburgh Airport yesterday morning, shows dozens of suitcases and bags lying abandoned in restricted areas.
Staff say there is nowhere else they can store passengers’ belongings due to the huge amount of baggage passing through the airport.
There are so many suitcases and bags still to be reclaimed by passengers in the corridors that it is difficult for wheelchairs to pass.
And the pile-ups, also said to be happening at Glasgow Airport, are being blamed on industry bosses and government officials. The GMB union said their inaction has led to chaos following a boom in aviation after the slump brought on by the pandemic.
Thousands more people are jetting off on holiday this summer compared with last year but the union says many firms have failed to take on more staff after paying people off during the pandemic.
GMB Scotland organiser Robert Deavy said: “This is what a failure to prepare for the return of travellers looks like and the blame rests with the industry and Government.
“They were well warned by unions the aviation sector would bounce back but calls for a sector package were ignored by political leaders, while the industry grabbed furlough money before making mass redundancies.
“Staff that remain are being left to deal with an unsustainable and unsafe working environment, while the public are being failed by firms who think they can return to business as usual on a shoestring and governments who have buried their heads in the sand.”
The Scottish Government, Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow Airport were approached for comment.