Airport chaos: anger and despair!
Fire brigade has to unload luggage - now strikes are also threatening
Created: 06/27/2022, 13:38
By: Martina Lippl
Suitcase chaos at Düsseldorf Airport: Suitcases stand on a trolley in front of the check-in counter.
© Thomas Banneyer/dpa
German airports are at the limit.
At the start of the summer holidays in NRW, passengers often waited for hours.
There was no more luggage on Saturday evening – it never ends.
Airport chaos across Germany: "Passengers are desperate and angry"
Strike alert at Easyjet and Ryanair in Spain: Cabin crew demands more money.
Flight chaos in Germany: This news ticker is updated regularly.
Düsseldorf – Before the summer travel season, numerous airlines thinned out their flight schedules at short notice.
Lufthansa is canceling a total of almost 3,000 flights at its hubs in Frankfurt and Munich.
The Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings also canceled hundreds of flights in July.
At Berlin Airport alone, Easyjet cut its program for the summer months by around 1,000 flights.
The airlines pulled the ripcord, and more and more crew members called in sick because of a coronavirus infection.
But the travel chaos does not end there.
Airport chaos across Germany: "Passengers are desperate and angry"
Frustration instead of holiday joy – there were chaotic scenes at Düsseldorf Airport (NRW) at the weekend.
Flights canceled at short notice and endless queues spoil the holiday mood for many travellers.
"The passengers are desperate and angry - and so are we," said a flight attendant in the
Rheinische Post
.
In addition to the lack of staff and absences due to illness (including coronavirus infections), there was also a disruption in the luggage transport system.
Suitcase chaos at Düsseldorf Airport: the fire brigade had to help
Individual pieces of luggage from holidaymakers were left behind at “home” at Düsseldorf Airport.
On Saturday evening, after landing, passengers had to drive home without their luggage because there were not enough staff to unload them, reports
nzr.de.
The Düsseldorf airport fire brigade had to work, as was confirmed on Monday.
Firefighters had to help unload the luggage, reports the dpa news agency.
Düsseldorf Airport confirms the problems.
On Friday and Saturday, there were faults in the computer technology of the baggage handling system.
According to the airport, more than 1,000 pieces of luggage were initially left behind.
As reported by
nrz.de
, the suitcases were left on the baggage carousel in the now deserted arrival hall.
The airlines and their service providers are actually responsible for the luggage.
However, a team of "qualified employees" from the airport itself and the fire brigade helped with the unloading on Saturday evening.
According to the airport spokeswoman, she was "exceptionally supportive".
The operational readiness of the fire brigade was "of course guaranteed at all times".
According to dpa, the Verdi expert Özay Tarim called the fire brigade action "another low point".
The airport suffered massive damage to its image.
His union had long warned of a debacle at the start of the holiday season.
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Eurowings cancels numerous flights again – strike on Malle planes
Summer chaos at German airports: Specialists from Turkey should help
In order to get the travel chaos under control, the federal government wants to bring skilled workers from Turkey to Germany.
Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP), Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) and Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) are planning together, according to reports from
Bild am Sonntag
.
Even those who work in baggage handling must go through a security check, the spokesman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior emphasized on Monday.
This review by the respective state authorities takes about two weeks.
Strike alert at Easyjet and Ryanair in Spain
Planned strikes could further affect travel in Europe: The cabin crew of the low-cost airline Easyjet in Spain want to strike nine days for more money.
According to the Spanish trade union USO, strikes are planned at Easyjet between July 1st and 3rd, between July 15th and 17th and between July 29th and 31st.
According to USO, 450 flight attendants of the British airline at the Easyjet locations El Prat (Barcelona Airport), Malaga and Palma de Mallorca will be called upon to make these 24-hour stops.
The Spanish unions (USO and SITCPLA) had previously called on their employees at the low-cost airline Ryanair to go on strike at the beginning of the summer holidays.
The Ryanair crew members are therefore called on
June 24th, 25th, 26th and 30th and July 1st and 2nd to stop working.
Easyjet and Ryanair strike calendar
Easyjet in Spain
: strike call for July 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 15th, 16th, 17th, 29th, 30th and 31st.
Ryanair in Spain
: strikes on 24, 25, 26 and 30 June and 1 and 2 July.
(ml/dpa)