Baggage handler Swissport has said sorry to Manchester Airport customers over 'frustrating and inconvenient' luggage delays after flights. Passengers have faced long delays waiting for their bags to be placed on carousels in the airport's baggage reclaim halls - leading to many deciding to walk out and collect their cases later from lost property.
The Manchester Evening News has been sent dozens of photographs taken at the airport showing hundreds of items of left luggage, with one pile captured two DAYS after a flight landed.
A spokesperson for the company admitted the capacity of the baggage system was 'being put under enormous pressure' and reported experiencing 'knock-on delays from security queues'. Swissport - which is not the only baggage handler at Manchester Airport - said it had recruited almost 1,000 new members of staff in the UK and Ireland, but pointed to rising cases of Covid-19 and security procedures and training for new starters.
The apology comes after baggage handlers reported they were under 'more stress than ever'. One worker, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported under-staffing and new recruits walking off the job after just their first day's work, saying: "We just can't handle the workload."
After recent chaos at the airport which has seen passengers miss flights because of huge queues at check-in gates and to get through security, it was announced on Wednesday the boss of Manchester Airport, Karen Smart, managing director of Manchester Airports Group, had quit amid calls from council bosses and an MP for management to 'get a grip' of the growing crisis.
Swissport, in a statement, apologised to travellers at Manchester Airport who have experienced delays in reclaiming their baggage and in disembarking from planes - and said it would be working closely with airport management.
The company said: "The pandemic significantly impacted the aviation industry which is still recovering as flight levels begin to return. We have recruited nearly 1,000 new colleagues into our business across the UK and Ireland but with cases of COVID-19 rising and complex security processes for new staff, recruitment remains challenging across the industry.
"We understand how frustrating and inconvenient delays are for customers and we apologise to those who've experienced delays in disembarking and baggage collection.
"With the increased demand for travel the capacity of the baggage system is being put under enormous pressure and we are seeing knock-on delays from security queues. We, and other baggage handlers operating at the airport, are all working closely with the airport management to help identify contingency measures whilst they address the vital maintenance and improvements these shared facilities require."
John O'Neill, North West regional industrial officer for the union Unite, said yesterday union officials were meeting airport management to discuss pay. He said after mass redundancies due to Covid, some workers have found alternative jobs with similar wages and may not be willing to return to work at the airport doing unsocial hours for similar rates of pay.
MAG, which also runs Stansted and East Midlands airports, is partly owned by the 10 local authorities of Greater Manchester, with the biggest stake held by Manchester Council.
What's the solution at Manchester Airport? Have your say in our comments below
Airports are also struggling from the combination of staff shortages and a spike in demand as many families head abroad for the school Easter holidays, which is the first since the UK's coronavirus restrictions for international travellers were dropped. The situation could worsen this weekend as airports will be used by travellers returning from trips during the first week of the break, and those departing for the second week of the school holiday.
Airline passengers were hit with further disruption on Wednesday as more than 100 UK flights scheduled were cancelled. British Airways axed at least 78 flights at Heathrow, while easyJet cancelled at least 30 at Gatwick. To reduce the impact on passengers, most cancellations are being made at least a day in advance and on routes with multiple daily flights, so passengers can be offered alternative departures.
