Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – A small group of Swissport employees, backed by the public sector employees’ union SSP, will continue to strike at Geneva’s Cointrin airport Tuesday, after negotiations broke down Monday afternoon, 4 January. The group is estimated to be 50 by the union, about a dozen by the airport and Swissport, which handles baggage at Cointrin. The strike is not currently disrupting flights.
Swissport employees from Zurich were sent to Geneva to help with the bags Saturday, and Geneva cantonal police and firefighters as well as customs police worked to keep the system moving Saturday and Sunday.
A larger group of about 160 employees from Swissport and Dnana went on strike Saturday 2 January, one of the busiest passenger days of the year for the airport. Most were back at work Monday. Swissport has several thousand employees in Switzerland.
Airport spokesperson Bernard Staempfli told GenevaLunch Monday morning that thousands of bags had not been delivered, but they would be leaving Geneva during the day Monday. He apologized for the confusion and inconvenience to passengers, while noting that the strike was carried out by employees of a private company which operates at the airport and that the airport is not directly involved in the collective contract negotiations.
Passengers, particularly in the UK, were complaining Monday evening that they were still unable to get any information about their missing bags.
Link to ats/TSR (Fre)
Background, GenevaLunch
Roger H says
Does anyone have any definite news regarding whether the bags did in fact leave GVA yesterday ?
“Global Baggage Solutions” haven’t updated their automated message line since 11:30 yesterday morning.
To add to the problems, the runway Manchester Airport is currently shut due to snow.
I’m not sure whether bags are repatriated centrally or whether they go to the original destination airport. If its the latter, then we could be waiting a while longer.
I know that in the whole scheme of things, a few delayed bags on a return flight is not a major hardship. However, the lack of information (with what little there is being conflicting) is frustrating.
Ellen Wallace says
I’ve just spoken to the airport and been in touch with Swissport. The airport is checking on whether or not the luggage that did not leave Geneva this weekend has now left and will put some pressure on the companies involved to provide more information – but the spokesman says that with this kind of situation it can take a few days for things to get back to normal. Swissport will be issuing a press release shortly, linked to the strike, but they are aware that passengers missing bags are mainly interested in hearing about their bags. So there should be more information this morning.
Roger H says
Ellen
Thanks for taking an interest in this situation.
Ellen Wallace says
To be honest, one of the reasons is personal – I fly in and out of Geneva often and have always loved the fact that it is one of the best airports for luggage safety and your bags getting on and off planes quickly. I don’t want to see this change! Clearly, this was an exceptional situation, but I’m hoping all those involved (but not the passengers) learn from the experience so it doesn’t happen again.
Nick says
I was also on the 11.40 flight to manchester on saturday and still haven’t heard anything from GBS. I think the communication between the airports is pretty pathetic
Christine Maskill says
Flight Geneva to Gatwick Saturday 2nd January 2010. Please note that as yet we have no idea where our luggage is and our airline Thomas Cook are not aware either. The bags have not left Geneva as far as we know. Also as the baggage was not scanned we cannot track it either. Your spokes person is mis informed and needs to get some accurate information out to the UK citizens caught up in this mess
Paul Petherick says
According to GBS Phone number 0844 375 4262. when pressing 4 for LGW North terminal, message says that the baggage has arrived in UK put the distribution to home addresses will not start until Friday at the earliest. As the leaflet given to be on Saturday, by GBS at LGW North had the wrong phone number on it, I will not be bringing out the Barrels just yet.
At this timewe continue to not be living out of a suitcase.
Jonathon says
We were on the Manchester Thomson flight on Saturday and the GBS automated message now says that bags have arrived in the UK but will not be distributed until the weekend. This is completely disgraceful. My wife has business trip to the States starting Friday and virtually all her clothing is missing. How do we get compensation from Thomson does anyone understand that process?
suzanne says
We still don’t have our luggage. We flew Geneva to BHX on Saturday 2nd jan and still no news regarding our bags. Has anyone reveived theirs yet?
Pete Budden says
And here we are on Sunday the 10th. 8 days down the line.
Manchester flight in our case
4 bags out there in the ether and GBS haven’t bothered to update their recorded message on the number given to us since Tuesday. After the message you’re just cut off. Thomson are permannetly engaged.
Apparently the bags are in the UK….I wish I was confident.
Don’t try going through Manchester Airport telephone either. After ten minutes of racking up charges on their “pay as you go” 0870 merry-go-round you hit a telephony dead end and get cut off.
A shambles.
As our bags aren’t officially lost for 21 days we’re stuffed.
Andy says
We flew in on BMI Baby on 2/1 to BHX. Both cases and 2 pairs of skis lost! We had a call today and we think our skis have arrived in BHX (only think because the handler doesn’t seem to have completed the paperwork properly). Apparently our bags may have been taken by road to Frankfurt but the handler is not even sure about that. The handler is permanantly engaged, no point in even trying to talk to BMI Baby as they refuse to talk to anyone. Swissport at BHX were helpful with info but they are not the handler so couldn’t help any further. The only accurate information coming from anyone is on this Blog! thanks to all here!
Dan says
Flew into Manchester on Saturday 2nd… now Tuesday 12th and no news. Who can this be escalated to? Does anyone have a number that isn’t an automated line or an address to write to? Thomson’s actions in this have been a disgrace.
On the tarmac at Geneva we were delayed for a few hours and there were some bags outside the plane, some people on board were obvisouly concerned that they were our bags and would be left behind and the Captain kindly announced to the whole aircraft that they were not our bags but from the flight before and that our bags were safely onboard.. A lie.
As the Captain he needs to know the exact weight of his plane so would know if the bags were on or not.
Then, once we arrived at Manchester the charade continued and we stood around like lemons at the carousel when as soon as we left Geneva, Thomson knew that our bags were not on the plane.
Now we have a wall of silence!
Ellen Wallace says
I’ve just contacted the Thomon media office to ask if they can provide an update and a contact number that works – I’ve asked them to read our reports on the luggage problem, and the scores of comments we’ve received.
Ellen Wallace says
Just spoke to Thomson and they will get back to me, so check back here in a while.
Jon Holloway says
0844 375 4262 press 3 for gatwick south says that all bags are in the airport (gatwick) and are being processed. once the couriers have an idea of the delivery requirements they will be in touch…..
Jon Holloway says
mine arrived yesterday, 11 days…
there was no pre-warning though, by chance had gone home early from work due to snow and when i arrived the delivery driver was writing his “sorry i missed you” card, so was lucky. hate to think what’s involved if you miss the delivery and they get sent back somewhere!!
everything was intact and everything still in them, they did not appear to have been disturbed. pity anyone who opened them anyway, loads of pairs of socks and skiddies all stuck together.
hang in there people, i’m sure you’ll all be reunited soon enough.
Ellen Wallace says
We’ve published several articles on this, and there are comments on each of them. If you want to check other articles, here is the list: http://genevalunch.com/index.php?s=geneva+airport+baggage&x=1&y=6
Laura says
flight from geneva to manchester 2nd january, bags and skis etc still lost. spent 20 mins on hold waiting for thompson baggage centre….gave up in end. all manchester rico numbers have been engaged all afternoon. gbs say its not their issue after bags have been delayed more than 5 days. meant to be skiing at weekend, but still no skis, or ski clothing! any ideas of compenstation for the fact we’ve had to buy extra winter clothes as most are still in our missing bags?
Ellen Wallace says
My understanding is that the compensation is listed on your ticket or in your contract with them. And after 21 days you can contact the Swiss Ombudsman, but that’s only 23 Jan, not much help for this weekend’s skiing 🙁
Ellen Wallace says
Here’s a link with details about your rights, but not in English, I’m afraid. Still, it’s official; http://www.bazl.admin.ch/dienstleistungen/passagierrechte/00684/index.html?lang=fr