Manchester Airport has issued an apology after passengers reported waiting for up to SEVEN hours for their suitcases in baggage reclaim.
The airport has said sorry for the ‘unacceptable levels of service’ experienced by many travelling during the busy festive period.
It said that the delays were due to ‘significant staffing challenges’ at Swissport, the handling company in charge of the baggage operation at Manchester Airport.
Some passengers reported people ‘laid on the floor’ when faced with the hours-long delays.
Others slammed the lack of communication the airport put out while they were waiting.
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The longest reported delay came from one passenger who said on Twitter: “Up to seven hour delays at baggage at Manchester – going to be a long night.”
Manchester Airport baggage reclaim. Credit: Manchester Airport Group
Another wrote: “2 hours since landing and 150 very bored kids (and their parents) are still waiting for their bags.”
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Someone else said: “We landed at 11.45, it’s now 13.15 and despite an announcement saying our bags would be on the carousel in around 10-15 minutes, we still have no bags and you have no staff available to answer questions or help. This isn’t good enough. Where are our bags!?”
And another commented: “Waiting in T2 baggage claim for over an hour. No sign of baggage, no sign of movement. Passengers laid on the floor.”
In a statement, Manchester Airport said: “We have been mode aware of significant staffing challenges faced by Swissport, which is impacting the arrivals experience of passengers flying with the airlines it supports.
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“This may result in some delays to passengers being able to disembark their aircraft, and to the baggage collection process, during the course of this evening.
“It is disappointing that – despite assurances to the contrary – Swissport is not able to provide adequate resources during the busiest weekend of the Christmas travel period and we apologise to all passengers who have experienced unacceptable levels of service.
“We have mobilised a Manchester Airport support team to keep disruption to a minimum and are seeking urgent clarification on the steps being taken by Swissport to resolve the challenges it is facing.
“We would like to thank the Swissport team currently operating at the airport under such challenging circumstances, and our airport colleagues for their support.
“Thank you to all affected passengers for their patience, and our sincere apologies once again for the disruption they may face.”
Featured image: Manchester Airport Group
News
‘First-of-its-kind’ reward offered to help find Salford man who went missing 10 years ago
Emily Sergeant
A first-of-its-kind reward is being offered for information on the whereabouts of a Salford man who went missing 10 years ago.
Michael Martin, from Salford – who was 25 when he disappeared – was first reported missing on Monday 8 August 2016 and was last seen at a petrol station on Bolton Road in Kearsley at 7:30am on Sunday 7 August 2016, but since then, there have been no further reported sightings him.
Following immediate enquiries, detectives launched a murder investigation the following week, and the investigation then became what is known as a ‘no-body murder’.
Over the past decade, detectives have been working to try and bring Michael’s body back to his family so they can lay him to rest.
But now, a first-of-its-kind reward of £50,000 is being offered for any information.
Micheal Martin went missing in 2016 / Credit: GMP (Family Handout)
“The not-knowing is gut wrenching every day,” Micheal’s father, Greg Martin, said as he appealed to the public. “We know he’s dead but it’s just not knowing where he was, where he is and what happened to him. It’d give the family some closure – a form of sort of peace.
“My message to the people is to do the right thing. Tell someone or indirectly let the police know what happened to Michael so we can get some peace of mind and closure.”
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Superintendent Lewis Hughes, added: “We are appealing directly to help his family lay their loving son to rest. Michael’s family have not been able to bury their son to bring an element of closure to this heartbreaking tragedy.
“The reward we are offering has never been offered before and that is how much we want to bring Michael home. His family deserve to bring their boy home.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact GMP’s Major Incident Team via the dedicated Major Incident Public Portal here, or alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – GMP (Family Handout)
News
Huge tunnel through the Peak District linking Manchester and Sheffield moves one step closer
Daisy Jackson
Ambitions plans to build a tunnel beneath the Peak District to connect Manchester and Sheffield has moved a step closer.
The proposed tunnel, which could completely transform travel between the two cities, has received a major £500,000 funding boost.
Picture the Eurostar, but plonk it going across the Pennines instead of London to Paris.
If it all goes ahead, journeys between South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester would be much quicker and easier, cutting times by up to 30 minutes, The Sheff reports.
The whopping £500,000 funding has been secured by infrastructure group Future Works, which is behind the proposed Trans-Pennine Connect scheme.
The money will be used to carry out technical and environmental feasibility studies to establish whether the project could actually go ahead.
The plans would see a 14-mile dual-carriageway tunnel built underneath the Peak District, potentially running between Langsett in South Yorkshire and Hollingworth or Tintwistle in Greater Manchester.
Michael Dnes, Future Works co-founder, said: “We’re very excited to be working with UK Dynamism Fund to unlock the next stage of our project.
“This funding will let us complete the technical and environmental feasibility studies needed to get the right outcomes for people and the Peak District as we deliver better transport connections across the Pennines.”
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard has previously voiced his support for the proposals, describing them as a “really exciting opportunity”.
Speaking at a South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority meeting back in September, he said: “We all know the frustrations of travelling between two of the North’s biggest and best cities.”
He also stressed that any plans would need to take environmental considerations very seriously, particularly the impact on wildlife in the Peak District.
The project is still in very early stages, and the funding doesn’t indicate that planning has been approved. We’ll keep you updated with any updates as and when we know.
So, what do you make of this proposal? Would you be keen for a drive through the tunnel?
Daisy Jackson -
19th December 2022 
