Gatwick- The worst UK airport for baggage delays

HarryLong

There have been a number of times we have had to wait over an hour for a baggage to come on the conveyor belt at Gatwick. The latest incident was 1 hour 15 minutes from a Thomson flight where Swissport was the handling agents. I cannot see any reason why it should take so long except inefficiency. We flew to Southampton a little while ago it only took 15 minutes. Also generally when we land at European airport our baggage seems to appear quicker than at Gatwick. The airport authority should impose fines on the Handling company and airline if the baggage is not received in an acceptable time. What are other people's experience and views.

balletshoes

there was a similar thread last year -

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4675671

hollie.weimeraner

I've flown from Manchester, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, Birmingham, Heathrow and Gatwick and can honestly say Gatwick is the worst airport I've flown from in every respect.

I would only ever use Gatwick again if there was absolutely no other choice and I had chosen the holiday of a lifetime (and then I'd have to think twice about it.)

The best imho is possibly East Mids - easy access, hassle free check ins and reasonable facilities. I do like Heathrow though for Long Haul.

lea2012

Whilst I've never flown into Gatwick so can't comment on the wait times, I must say that you can't really compare baggage at Gatwick to the baggage at Southampton. As Gatwick is one of the UK's biggest airports it obviously handles a much higher volume of bags, and even with more staff I am sure it's common sense that it will take more time.

LadyL2013

Oddly, I've had the opposite experience. My bags always come fastest at Gatwick and I have always found it to be the most efficient and 'fun' airport.

PompeyPete

Regularly use Gatwick, and can't recall anything in particular to have a gripe about. No airport is perfect, but people tend to remember the odd bad experience.

Being able to get a train from Pompey direct to the airport makes it my airport of choice. And there's plenty of good hotel options for an early morning flight, with Gatwick Central Travelodge usually having excellent deals.

Mikes_The_Name

I fully agree we have sufferd long waits at Gatwick. The baggage handler Swissport is by far the worst offender but both the Airlines and Airport authories do not seem to take any action against them. It seems they can keep you waiting for as long as it suits them without penalty.

Doshwaster

PompeyPete wrote: »

Regularly use Gatwick, and can't recall anything in particular to have a gripe about. No airport is

Same here. I wouldn't call Gatwick especially good or bad. My experiences there have fairly typical of airports that size.

Mind you, I'm a very fortunate traveller when it comes to baggage. In well over 200 flights I have never yet lost a suitcase (touch wood!). The worst was in Madrid a couple of years ago when my vase somehow ended up on the wrong belt and it took me about 3 hours to find it.

Wishful_Thinker

The problem is the Baggage handling companies. There is very little choice and like the energy companies they have a monopoly. Cetainly from my experience Swissport are by far the worse. I would have thought that 45 minutes was ample time to unload the baggage from the aircraft from the time it "Docked" and transfer it to baggage conveyor belt. Perhaps if was over this time either the airline or baggage handling company should be fined. Is ther a league table anywhere showing airlines /baggage handling company's time from landing to when baggage is on the conveyor belt for Gatwick and other UK/European airports.

Obviously_the_best

swissport at Gatwick are absolutely terrible. Every flight I've had handled by them has had some sort of baggage delay or damage.

The others however, have been fine, and I'd go as far as to say Menzies have been excellent.

Tim_Richmond

I endorse the fact that Swissport are the main problem at Gatwick. I have suffered terrible delays at baggage reclaim when there were the baggage handlers on my flights. I wrote to the company complaining and got a very short shift answer basically telling me "Tough". Other handlers like Serviceair have been much better and have never cause me any significent delays.