Passengers at Manchester Airport have suffered long waits for luggage amid reports of staff absence in handling agencies as temperatures soared. In Terminal One on Tuesday afternoon there were reports baggage conveyors 'broke down' for around 30 minutes while later in the day travellers reported two-hour delays in Terminal Three.
It's understood that some agencies, employed by airlines to handle baggage, were struggling with staff absence during the heatwave. Among passengers to suffer was Elliott Ward, 23 a transport planner from Manchester who arrived from Barcelona into Manchester's Terminal 3.
He told the Manchester Evening News : "We got off the plane after landing 20 minutes previously. Signs said to go to the relevant conveyor belt. About 10 items appeared, then nothing for two hours as there was a 'technical issue'. There was items from other flights just going around in circles on the other conveyor belts.
"A few more flights arrived and they just piled into T3 baggage collection and were faced with the same problem. It just became a massive problem and nobody was interested in sorting it. When the woman at the desk was asked about where our items were she said to 'contact your airline' which was no help.
"Ten minutes later she disappeared, there were no staff to be found, you were just left to it for two hours when our bags turned up. I had to leave the terminal to go get the car leaving my partner to struggle with two cases through the terminal and out to the car - which is pretty bad in this weather."
Elliott wasn't alone. Paul Langley Tweeted: "Are there any baggage handlers at terminal 3 waiting for an hour for luggage. No rep at arrivals either. Luggage can be seen on other side of door."
While Carl Mannion said: "Terminal 2 baggage belts broken leaving chaos for travellers….machine to pay parking worked just fine though."
Manchester Airport responded to Mr Langley's Tweet: "Hi Paul, we're truly sorry to hear of the baggage delays you've experienced. It is your airlines’ ground handlers who are ultimately responsible for this part of the operation. Hence, for a detailed response, please contact your airline directly. Thank you."
Baggage delays were among a number of hazards to hit passengers on public transport on Tuesday. Avanti West Coast warned they were cancelling all trains between Manchester and London in the afternoon as fires broke out across routes.
Meanwhile, services on the Bury and Rochdale Metrolink lines were suspended due to the heatwave.
The Manchester Evening News has contacted Manchester Airport and Swissport for comment.
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