PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Dozens of American Airlines travelers said they had to wait hours for their luggage after landing at Philadelphia International Airport Saturday night – and many never got their hands on their bags.
Passengers from Seattle, Washington, told CBS News Philadelphia they were initially informed that there were not enough crew available to land their plane and the flight had to taxi for about 25 minutes before it could park at the gate.
Passenger Roy Gettle said travelers waited for hours for their luggage in Terminal C after disembarking from the plane.
“There were people waiting four hours for their luggage,” he said. “They say that’s just the way it is. They don’t tell us why or what’s going on. But then a flight comes and they get their luggage right away. So I have no idea what’s going on.”
“We just want to get our luggage and go home,” said another passenger, Dennis Markopoulos, on Saturday evening. “We’ve been here two and a half, three hours now. And not a word.”
CBS Philadelphia
Some travelers reported that their luggage never arrived. When American Airlines offered to ship their luggage home, they learned that they lived outside the 150-mile radius for shipping.
“It’s difficult to get answers,” said Tommy Morello, who lives in Tacoma, Washington, and traveled to Philadelphia to visit family. “Obviously they’re going to have our bags sent to us, but I feel more comfortable just waiting for it,” he said.
More than 100 unclaimed bags were still piled up in Terminal C on Sunday morning. According to an American Airlines baggage clerk at the airport, there were not enough staff to unload the bags from three flights that arrived Saturday evening. Philadelphia airport says the airlines are responsible for baggage problems.
CBS News Philadelphia has reached out to Philadelphia International Airport and American Airlines for more information and is now trying to confirm whether these bags belong to the passengers who were unable to claim their luggage last night.
Gregory and Alicia Harrison were among the passengers who got their luggage back on Sunday.
They flew to Miami on August 3 with their three children for a cruise and were informed by flight crew during the flight that passengers’ luggage had not been brought on board. This became a costly problem, the couple said.
“We had to buy some clothes from the ship,” said Alicia Harrison. They plan to keep their receipts and try to get their money back.
“You’ve saved money by going on the cruise. You have a little money to have fun, but you spend it on clothes,” said Gregory Harrison.
