Qantas flight departs without passenger’s luggage

A Qantas flight from Sydney to Perth recently took off without any of the passenger’s luggage in tow. Awkward…

Journalist Peter van Onselen brought the error to the attention of many, via a Twitter post that expressed his feelings on the matter.

In particular, he called the error an “insane incompetence by Qantas”, adding it was “absolutely unbelievable”.

Speaking to Travel Weekly, a spokesperson said the slip up was due to a mechanical fault, and that all the bags had now arrived at their destination.

“Due to a mechanical issue with the baggage belt at our Sydney Domestic Terminal, approximately 100 of our customers’ bags did not make it on to their scheduled flight,” the spokesperson said.

“The backup baggage belt is now operating and the bags have been placed on the next available services.

“We understand delays are frustrating, particularly during the holiday period, and we apologise sincerely to customers for the inconvenience this has caused.”

It comes in a tumultuous time for aviation, with a plane skidding right off the runway in Turkey, and new revelations emerging about MH370. Qantas has also been busy, launching its latest Dreamliner and revealing its adorable new Aussie name.

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

Latest comments

Richard Cunningham says:
January 16, 2018 at 2:25 pm
I was on that plane, travelling to Perth for a short business trip. It was a staggering blunder to take off without bags, or a suitable explanation. The Captain did mention an issue in the hold, and we’d be underway in a few minutes, which we were. Assuming everything was sorted. But for the Captain and flight crew to fly four and a half hours across the country and make no mention of ‘no bags’ – sorry Qantas – that was well below par. They left the poor old airport ground crew to deal with a plane load of distressed passengers. Talk about throwing your co-workers under the bus. Unprofessional.
The quote in the story above of 100 bags being left. Um, no. EVERY. SINGLE. BAG was left behind. It’s all fine and good for them to come in on the next flight, which they did about 90 minutes later. Just to rub salt into the wound, the later flight’s bags came off first, the delayed bags came off second. I left the airport three hours after I should have. A busy schedule of appointments here pretty much stuffed for the day. Plus half a day of unused car hire down the tubes while we waited for the issue to be sorted.
And all that on the back of a bag being left in Los Angeles airport (mine) – on a flight to Sydney back in December, after a cancelled service from San Francisco. What’s going on over there QF??? Not good enough by a long stretch
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