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1,000 passengers still on holiday without luggage

15:48 09/07/2018

There are still about 1,000 bags at Brussels Airport waiting to follow their owners on holiday, after a technical problem on Saturday. As a baggage transport belt broke down, airlines were forced to leave checked bags behind.

Passengers were told that their bags would be delivered to them at their destinations as soon as possible. But there appeared to be some confusion at the airport as to the location where all the bags were stored.

One of the baggage handlers, Aviapartner, did not put all their left luggage in the same place as baggage handler Swissport. Those tasked with getting the right luggage on the right flights out thought that all the bags were in the same area and so missed getting several hundred bags out on flights yesterday and today.

A spokesperson said that about 700 bags would go out on flights today, and the rest tomorrow, three days after the passengers left. Though even if everything had run smoothly, some passengers would have been left waiting as not every destination has a flight out every day.

According to Brussels Airlines, one of the most affected by the luggage problem, passengers do not have a right to compensation. Luggage delays due to technical problems – as well as wildcat strikes, storms or forest fires – is a case of force majeure.

Photo: Benoit Doppagne/BELGA

Written by Lisa Bradshaw