Romania's Consumer Protection Agency received hundreds of complaints from passengers who had their flights delayed or canceled in the last months. Many have not received any money back, despite the fact that the mandated refund period is 7 days.

The lack of airport personnel in Bucharest’s Henri Coandă Airport, especially in the baggage handling department, is to blame for the delays, say journalists at ProTV. A similar situation happened at London’s Heathrow airport and many others around the continent.

During the pandemic, European airlines and airports cut costs and downsized, letting go of some employees. As the number of cases dropped and the summer holiday season loomed, rehirings remained slow, leading to jams and delays as demand for travel increased.

Dozens of arrival and departure flights on Henri Coandă Airport now rack up delays, while some are canceled. Travelers also have to wait more than usual to receive their luggage, as delayed flights overlap with those that run on time, causing a buildup in baggage waiting to be handled. Meanwhile, baggage handlers are in short supply.

One obvious solution would be to hire more handlers, but many airports throughout Europe are starting to do just that just now.

A baggage handler working in Henri Coandă Airport received around EUR 400-500, while a counterpart in Germany can earn up to EUR 2.500.

Airport officials say that the four baggage handling companies currently operating in Bucharest’s airport won’t be made more efficient by fines.

The Romanian Consumer Protection Agency received hundreds of complaints about canceled or delayed flights in the last year, but representatives say the number of those affected is more likely in the tens of thousands.

radu@romania-insider.com

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