Luggage left behind in chaotic airport crush over Easter weekend

A major baggage bungle has left passengers without their luggage as travellers endure long queues and flight delays at airports.

Airports terminals are once again heaving as Aussies take to the skies for the Easter long weekend.

Chaos has reigned for the past week with long lines, delayed or cancelled flights and missing luggage just some of the headaches customers have had to deal with.

Long lines, baggage issues and flight delays have marked the start of a chaotic Easter long weekend in Australia’s domestic airports. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

A major baggage bundle in Brisbane has left the star of the upcoming Cabaret de Paris without any clothes or costumes ahead of the opening night at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

Star entertainer Rhonda Burchmore was left without anything for the Saturday show after her flight from Melbourne departed with no luggage loaded.

“The guy there said it might take days to retrieve. I’m so upset,” she tweeted on Thursday.

I was on the same flight and all my stage costumes and everything for my show Cabaret de Paris - at QPAC that’s been rescheduled three times due to border closures and floods are somewhere ??? The guy there said it might take days to retrieve. I’m so upset https://t.co/dJTdIjmcqf

— Rhonda Burchmore (@rhondaburchmore) April 14, 2022

Qantas announced the decision was made to have a “small number” of flights depart without baggage to ensure people would not face long flight delays or cancellations.

“This baggage is being put on later flights and we are then couriering bags directly to customers,” a Qantas spokesperson said.

“Qantas will operate a flight this afternoon carrying only baggage between Melbourne and Sydney with one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners, helping move baggage that was unable to be carried yesterday.”

The airline said isolation requirements were impacting daily operations, with between 20 and 50 per cent of employees in some areas unable to work.

About 200 corporate head office managers are providing support in Sydney and Melbourne airports.

Brisbane Airport has been experiencing long queues for security and baggage checking at the start of the long weekend. Picture: NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

There were already delays at Sydney Airport on Friday before the first flight at 6am, while three Qantas flights were cancelled at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport due to staff shortages.

These problems have led to airports and airlines advising travellers to turn up two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight.

On Thursday it was forecast that 82,000 passengers passed through Sydney Airport’s domestic terminals, the first time it had experienced over 80,000 customers in two years.

On Friday 79,000 passengers are expected to travel through the airport, with a further 190,000 over the following three days.

Early morning traffic on the way to Sydney airport on Good Friday. Picture: Julian Andrews

While the lines are still long and busy, reports in recent days have suggested they are moving more quickly for some, especially if they do not need to check-in luggage.

But there have still been consistent issues of flights being delayed, cancelled and bags being left behind, causing increasing frustrations for customers.

Got to tell you spending nearly 4hrs on a plane last night - 2.5hrs of them sitting on the tarmac because of baggage errors was a true joy. Thank you, @qantas. pic.twitter.com/alzPYnz5BZ

— Matt Smithson (@mattsmithson) April 14, 2022

96hrs later … still no luggage. 🤷‍♀️🧳

Now on a completely different @Qantas trip so no idea when or where my bag might find me.

Last seen Melbourne airport 🤣👇

Hazard warning : contains dirty laundry from the #AusGP 😷 https://t.co/wPU0qD3JUNpic.twitter.com/GQM5Yypn54

— Dr Kirstin Ferguson (@kirstinferguson) April 13, 2022

Beyond an influx of Australians looking to take advantage of the open borders and go on a holiday, the delays have been put due to a shortage of airport staff.

Sydney Airport chief executive Geoff Culbert said on Wednesday there is a level of absenteeism among workers due to Covid and isolation requirements,

“There is no avoiding the fact that significant queuing may occur over Easter. We continue to have up to 20 per cent Covid-related staff absences on any given day and we’re working to rebuild our workforce in a really tight job market,” he said.

Travellers queue at the Sydney Domestic Terminal ahead of the Easter Long Weekend . Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

But airports are also looking to “rebuild” their workforce post-Covid, which they struggled and failed to do in the lead up to Easter.

Certis, Sydney Airport’s security contractor, is 30 per cent below its pre-Covid staffing levels.

“While they are getting people in the door, it is taking longer than we had hoped due to the incredibly tight labour market. The roles that are being recruited are skilled, specialist roles and we won’t compromise on safety and security,” Mr Culbert said.

Sydney Airport attracted criticism from the United Workers Union on Thursday after it was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald that security staff had been offered $1000 bonuses if they worked every rostered shift from April 14 to April 26.