Why your luggage is delayed after your flight has landed – and how to avoid it

THERE is nothing worse after a long flight than having to wait for your bag to arrive on the carousel.

There can be a number of reasons why your suitcase is delayed after you’ve landed – here is what could have caused it.

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Bad weather

Even when it is stormy outside, passengers can remain dry when getting off the plane thanks to the air corridors connecting the plane to the terminal.

This can’t be said for ground crew, who have to work outside when refueling and collecting luggage.

Therefore if it is raining heavily or there are thunderstorms, this can delay your suitcases making their way to the carousel.

Staff have to listen to safety advice so may have to remain under cover until the weather eases, or take longer in unloading it.

Busy planes

Flying on an empty plane is the dream for many – but very uncommon.

Most planes try to fly at full capacity to reduce losses, so you can expect more than 100 people on the plane.

And if every passenger has checked in a few suitcases, this can result in hundreds of bags to be unloaded and loaded – so don’t expect it to be a fast process.

A traveller has revealed how to fit a months worth of luggage into just a carry on bag so you can avoid checking in a suitcase.

Airport size and age

Getting your suitcases back in good time can also depend on the airport.

While it can take longer for larger airports to get bags to the carousel, due to the distance from the plane to the terminal, they often have newer, sophisticated systems that speed it up.

Yet it is also a double-edged sword for smaller airports too.

While they may be faster due to the smaller distance from the hold to baggage claim, they can often have older systems, or less modern technology as it isn’t needed due to the smaller volume of passengers.

Your best bet is to choose a mid-size airport that is relatively new – in the UK, previous studies found the best medium-size one to be East Midlands Airport.

A recent study ranked the best and worst airports in the UK, with many of the smaller airports taking the top spot.

And an abandoned UK airport could reopen as soon as 2025.

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