Suitcases remain at airport following baggage handlers strike

Some of the thousands of passengers caught up in an unlawful strike by baggage handlers at Paphos airport on Wednesday have yet to receive their bags, they said on Friday.

Passengers continue to experience the consequences of the five-hour strike days later as they were sent home without their luggage on Wednesday night, with the promise they would receive their belongings later.

“A large number of bags have been sent to their owners,” Hermes Airports communications representative Pieris Panayi told the Cyprus Mail.

But, as of Friday morning, there were many more bags and suitcases still on trolleys at the airport.

“The timeframe for their delivery is an issue of the handlers,” Panayi said.

A traveller who arrived back at his Northern Ireland home after holidaying on Wednesday night said on Friday morning he is still waiting for his luggage and was unable to contact someone for information.

“So, [I] really do not know what to do next… the problem is still here for us, and I am sure lots of holiday makers who arrived on the same day,” he said.

The strike, held without warning the relevant departments, aimed to express the workers’ anger after they received redundancy letters. However, the issue was being discussed at the same time at the transport ministry, hence the work stoppage was “unnecessary” according to minister Yiannis Karousos.

It was also not done by the book since it affected over 20 flights despite global airport regulations providing that no employer or company is allowed to affect the smooth operation of the airport or affect over eight flights per 24 hours.

The dispute was resolved the same night following the intervention of the transport ministry that concluded the companies involved had failed to abide by its decrees and reassured the 28 permanent employees at Paphos airport that they will continue to be employed under the same terms.

On Tuesday a two-hour strike was held by baggage handlers at Larnaca airport over the same issues. A meeting will be held at the transport ministry on Wednesday to try and solve the differences there.

The Cyprus Mail has contacted the handling companies at Hermes airports for comment.