POV: you’re finally sitting on the plane that’s moments away from departing on a long-awaited trip. Buckled in, smiling tightly at the other passengers to hurry them along, while also praying the seat next to you stays empty. Yes, you could have paid more for more space and legroom, but you had to cough up extra for baggage.
Ah, speaking of! Here it comes now, trundling in a cart on its way to the hold luggage conveyor belt. There’s your bag, wedged in Tetris-like amongst everyone else’s. Suddenly the handlers burst into action, chucking cases, bags and curiously wrapped parcels into the plane like they’re shooting basketball hoops.
Not a scintilla of care and attention is shown to your possessions. All you can do is wince with every THWACK! and hope your stuff makes it to Arrivals in one piece. Not exactly the most tranquil start to a holiday, is it? We’ve all been there at some point, left to pick up the literal pieces from baggage reclaim at the other end.
And that’s if your bag hasn’t been lost altogether. Operational issues at London airports have been well-reported, with problems arising from both strike action and lack of staff, including baggage handlers. Fewer people to do the job means increased pressure to get a plane loaded and on its way in time - inevitably, mishaps occur.
The numbers say it all: in 2022, bag storage company Bounce used FOI data from the Civil Aviation Authority to find the worst airports for lost luggage in the UK. Heathrow, the.
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