Gatwick apologises after hundreds of holidaymakers left without luggage
Hundreds of British holidaymakers have been left overseas without their luggage after a baggage belt failure at Gatwick prevented it from being loaded onto their aircraft.
The airport said a ‘small number’ of flights from the North terminal were affected on Sunday, including several by easyJet.
However, easyJet posted on its website yesterday that the issue was still ‘ongoing’.
The airport has issued a public apology to passengers, but many have taken to social media to vent their frustration after receiving no news about their missing bags.
Some said they were still waiting today for information from easyJet and Gatwick about when their luggage would arrive.
They have been tweeting from several destinations, including Alicante, Marrakech, Rome and Verona.
Some wrote that they were without clothes, essential medication and baby food, which had been packed in their check-in luggage.
A Gatwick Airport spokesman said: "A small number of bags were not put on departing flights over the weekend due to an issue with the baggage system.
"Gatwick recognises the inconvenience that this issue has caused and would like to apologise to anyone affected. Passengers should contact their airline for the latest information on their missing luggage."
An easyjet spokesman said: "Due to a baggage belt failure at London Gatwick Airport, easyJet, like other airlines, experienced delays in the delivery of hold luggage to departing aircraft.
"This resulted in a number of flights departing without all of the luggage stowed in the hold."
He said the airline was working to return the luggage to passengers ‘as soon as possible’.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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