There is nothing worse after a long flight than waiting for the expected luggage to arrive on the carousel. Delays in picking up suitcases after a flight has landed can be due to obvious and unexpected reasons: weather, aircraft congestion, and the size and age of the airport.
Note that there are current regulations regarding the issuance of luggage bags. So, at Sheremetyevo International Airport, the average waiting time for luggage is 40-90 minutes. At the same time, the delivery time should be within 20 minutes if the arriving board is standing at the air bridge, and 30 minutes if at a remote parking lot.
Here are the three main reasons for baggage delays.
Bad weather
Even when the weather is bad, tourists stay dry when they get off the plane thanks to the air corridors connecting the plane to the terminal. Therefore, they do not feel all the “charms” of bad weather.
The same can't be said for the ground crew who have to work outside for refueling and baggage claim in all weathers. So, for example, if there is heavy rain or a thunderstorm, it can delay suitcases on their way to the carousel, The Sun explained. Staff should heed safety advice, so they may need to stay in shelter until the weather improves or more time is needed to unload luggage.
Loaded aircraft
Flying in an empty plane is a dream of many, but only rare tourists are lucky (details here). Most planes try to fly with a full load to reduce losses, so travelers can expect around 100 or more people on the plane. And if you imagine that each of them checked in several suitcases, this can lead to airline staff having to unload and load hundreds of bags – this is definitely a long process.
Size and age of the airport
Timely baggage collection may also depend on the airport. While large airports can take longer to get baggage to the carousel due to the distance from the aircraft to the terminal, they often have newer and more sophisticated systems that speed up the process.
Still, it's a stick on both ends and for small airports. While it may seem that baggage claim may be faster due to the shorter distance from the aircraft to the terminal, they can often have older systems or less modern technology as they are not urgently needed due to fewer passengers.
Better just choose a medium-sized airport that is relatively new. For example, in the UK, previous studies have shown that the best medium-sized airport is East Midlands Airport, located in the eastern part of the country.
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