If you are going to travel, you should mark the suitcase extra well. Large airports around Europe are struggling with staffing after the corona pandemic, which means that many travelers do not get their luggage when they are traveling. At Bergen Airport it is well noticed. On Tuesday morning, there were around 500 suitcases standing by the arrival hall at the airport in Bergen. Flight enthusiast Jan Aasebø has packed his camera in his backpack, and is on his way to England to have a whole week of air shows. He has followed the chaos at the airports in Europe. – I have marked the suitcase extra well, he says. Lena Eide, who is on her way to Split in Croatia, is more worried. – I have brought some extra clothes and a bikini and stuff, in case the luggage is a little delayed, she says. Jan Aasebø has packed the most important thing in his backpack, namely the camera. Photo: Benjamin Dyrdal / news Big problem – It is a much bigger problem than it has ever been. We struggle to handle this in a proper way, says Robert Andersen. He is station manager at Aviator, and wades in a sea of suitcases, packages, and everything else that can be sent by plane. Airport director at Flesland, Helge Eidsnes told that they do not have a solution in sight. – Based on what we hear from other airports in Europe, this is probably a problem that can last for a while, he says. There is a lot of luggage at the arrival hall. A little too much, someone would say. Photo: Cato Heldal Kristensen / news Postpone working hours To get rid of all the luggage, the employees have started early in the morning, to be able to work in peace and quiet before the plane arrives. – Today they start at 4 o’clock, and the first plane does not arrive until 8 o’clock. We have pushed a little during working hours, says Andersen. – What is the problem? – There are large airports in Europe which is a big problem, because they have not got people back into operation after the pandemic as fast as we have in Norway. This means that the luggage does not always arrive on the same plane as the passenger. It is not ideal, especially not certain Bergen is the intermediate station, and the plane will continue. Robert Andersen in Aviator looks out over the luggage hall at Flesland. Photo: Cato Heldal Kristensen / news The most important tool for Andersen and the employees at the airport is the tag number. Should one be so unlucky that this falls off the suitcase, they must go for their own labels on the suitcase. The last resort is to open the suitcase and use the contents to identify the passenger. If you have a nap, you can put a note with your name, telephone number and address inside the suitcase itself. – You should definitely have papers, passports, money and, for example, medicines in your hand luggage, says Andersen. Same show elsewhere in the country Since the problem mainly concerns international flights, the problem is greatest at the two airports in Norway that receive the most traffic from international airports with the most luggage. It is still the exception, when most people come forward, according to Avinor. – Here, the luggage that must be sent at the time of writing is about 2 percent. It is more than usual, but a small part of the total amount of luggage that is in circulation, says Anna Langhammer, who is a senior communications consultant at Avinor. Avinor provided logistics and storage space to send baggage at airports.
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– Struggle to handle this in a proper way – news Vestland
