Airport baggage issues leave hundreds without luggage

[Image from here is not available to guests]
The airport issued an alert at around 05:40 BST warning passengers that baggage problems are continuing - Image © Birmingham Airport

Hundreds of passengers who have flown out of Birmingham Airport have been left without luggage due to issues with its baggage systems.

One described the situation as "absolute chaos" after the airport said it was experiencing issues affecting outbound flights.

In an update at 05:40 BST on Saturday, the airport warned passengers the problems were ongoing, but that engineers were on site working as quickly as possible to resolve it.

Hayley Chapman, from Northfield, who flew with her family to Turkey on Friday said no luggage at all was loaded on to the plane, and they had received no information as to its whereabouts.

She described seeing a "build up" of luggage at the airport, after problems with the luggage belt, but had been assured by staff that it would be loaded on to the plane.  But on arrival at Dalaman they were told by the pilot that no bags had been loaded.

"We have heard nothing about compensation, no communication when our luggage is expected, we've heard nothing about who is liable for it. Is it the airport? Is it TUI^» (Touristik Union International. Also known as TUI Group - "the largest travel, tourism and leisure company in the world". - website)? Is it our travel insurance? Who are we meant to go to? We've had nothing from anybody", Chapman said.  "It's just radio silence from the airport, apart from literally telling people 'we've got an issue'".

The first day of their holiday was spent travelling to a shopping centre to buy essentials for "for the next few days" but she added "we have no idea how long this is going to last".

"There are families all over the world at the moment with nothing and no idea of what's going on," she said.  "It's really important that Birmingham Airport are held accountable, and sort this out."

(BBC article continues)