Passengers wait 'up to six hours' at baggage reclaim due to airport staff shortages

27.06.2022 - 18:35 / dailyrecord.co.uk

An airport baggage handler has said that passengers face up to six hours to receive their luggage - and they have warned that it will only get worse this summer.

The anonymous staff member, who has been working in their role for more than a decade, said that the chaos is the worst they’ve ever seen.

Speaking to The Times, the worker said that pilots have been helping to unload planes while others are said to be regularly breaking down in tears due to severe staff shortages.

But it is expected to get worse when the schools break up for the summer holiday.

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The trade association of the world’s airlines has urged the Government to fast-track new workers through security clearance, in bid to get more staff in quickly, the Mirror reports.

Thousands of passengers have had flights cancelled in recent weeks or have missed take off while waiting in nightmare queues for check-in and security clearance, while undelivered and unclaimed luggage has been piling up around the country's airports.

According to one baggage handler writing in The Times, understaffing is the root cause of the chaos - yet security clearances for new workers are still taking up to six months to process.

The anonymous worker said: "I have been a baggage handler for more than a decade and this is the worst disruption I have ever seen.

"Before this year, I had never seen pilots helping to load and unload suitcases. In recent weeks, I have seen captains and first officers mucking in. At other airports, I hear it is now commonplace."

Staffing issues are now the worst they've ever seen, with even