Baggage loading delays at EWR
Dec 22, 2013, 3:51 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: New York
Programs: UA GS, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 190
Baggage loading delays at EWR
Was on United 86 (PVG) on Saturday, the 21st. Check in was crazy -- even the Global Services area had overflowing crowd. Didnt help that there were only 2 agents on duty with one of them on the phone for 30 minutes trying to resolve an infant ticket issue. there were bags piled up just outside the GS area waiting to be taken into the back.
On the plane and doors close. Sitting there for a few minutes when the captain comes on and says we have a 15-20 minute delay as we are currently missing 174 bags that are supposed to be on this flight. Well 90 minutes later we finally leave once all of the bags are onboard.
Flight attendants said this has been happening all week and this is due to cutbacks/outsourcing at EWR -- any ideas if that is true?
Flight was 90 minutes late arriving into PVG so had quite a few people who missed connections.
On the plane and doors close. Sitting there for a few minutes when the captain comes on and says we have a 15-20 minute delay as we are currently missing 174 bags that are supposed to be on this flight. Well 90 minutes later we finally leave once all of the bags are onboard.
Flight attendants said this has been happening all week and this is due to cutbacks/outsourcing at EWR -- any ideas if that is true?
Flight was 90 minutes late arriving into PVG so had quite a few people who missed connections.
Dec 22, 2013, 4:35 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, UA Nobody, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,372
Was on United 86 (PVG) on Saturday, the 21st. Check in was crazy -- even the Global Services area had overflowing crowd. Didnt help that there were only 2 agents on duty with one of them on the phone for 30 minutes trying to resolve an infant ticket issue. there were bags piled up just outside the GS area waiting to be taken into the back.
On the plane and doors close. Sitting there for a few minutes when the captain comes on and says we have a 15-20 minute delay as we are currently missing 174 bags that are supposed to be on this flight. Well 90 minutes later we finally leave once all of the bags are onboard.
Flight attendants said this has been happening all week and this is due to cutbacks/outsourcing at EWR -- any ideas if that is true?
Flight was 90 minutes late arriving into PVG so had quite a few people who missed connections.
On the plane and doors close. Sitting there for a few minutes when the captain comes on and says we have a 15-20 minute delay as we are currently missing 174 bags that are supposed to be on this flight. Well 90 minutes later we finally leave once all of the bags are onboard.
Flight attendants said this has been happening all week and this is due to cutbacks/outsourcing at EWR -- any ideas if that is true?
Flight was 90 minutes late arriving into PVG so had quite a few people who missed connections.
Dec 25, 2013, 6:40 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 126
I had an international return flight that connected through EWR on the 22nd. Flight from Europe landed at EWR on time. Flight from EWR to home was delayed over an hour. Once I made it onto the plane, we were delayed for another hour. The attendance announced that we had over 60 bags to load. After 20 minutes, passengers looked out the window and loading was complete. We did not pull back from the gate for another 40 minutes.
In all, I spent over 4 1/2 hours in EWR from the time I re-cleared security.
I was very frustrated that my bag did not make it home with me.
Getting my bag was a completely different nightmare that I intend to communicate with United.
In all, I spent over 4 1/2 hours in EWR from the time I re-cleared security.
I was very frustrated that my bag did not make it home with me.
Getting my bag was a completely different nightmare that I intend to communicate with United.
Dec 25, 2013, 6:46 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,068
IAD too
I had a mechanical at IAD on 12/21. Once the plane was cleared to go, they had us start boarding. That took 30 minutes. Once we were done boarding, they realized they hadn't loaded any bags, and the bag folks started to arrive and load us up.
That cost us an extra 30 minutes. They could have easily loaded bags at the same time as we were boarding, and they would have been done at about the same time.
That cost us an extra 30 minutes. They could have easily loaded bags at the same time as we were boarding, and they would have been done at about the same time.
Dec 25, 2013, 7:02 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Denver
Posts: 451
Heard the same thing. Supposedly they started laying off ground workers in Newark a week or so ago and as a result have become short of staff during the busiest travel season of the year. Also not sure if true, because that doesn't seem like a very logical decision, but it would explain some of the delays due to baggage handling.
Dec 25, 2013, 7:43 am
#6
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,565
Heard the same thing. Supposedly they started laying off ground workers in Newark a week or so ago and as a result have become short of staff during the busiest travel season of the year. Also not sure if true, because that doesn't seem like a very logical decision, but it would explain some of the delays due to baggage handling.
Dec 25, 2013, 7:54 am
#7
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
Heard the same thing. Supposedly they started laying off ground workers in Newark a week or so ago and as a result have become short of staff during the busiest travel season of the year. Also not sure if true, because that doesn't seem like a very logical decision, but it would explain some of the delays due to baggage handling.
I've heard that EWR implemented a new baggage system and that it's a disaster. It would be nice to hear some official source on this as my family is traveling with checked bags through EWR in a few weeks.
Dec 25, 2013, 8:00 am
#8
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, UA Mileage Plus 1K, AA Executive Plat, Marriott Ambassador Elite
Posts: 2,344
Heard the same thing. Supposedly they started laying off ground workers in Newark a week or so ago and as a result have become short of staff during the busiest travel season of the year. Also not sure if true, because that doesn't seem like a very logical decision, but it would explain some of the delays due to baggage handling.
Dec 25, 2013, 8:11 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,169
Delayed international departures at EWR are a blessing for us poor saps who have to connect at that wretched airport. When our incoming flights are inevitable delayed by ATC we have a fighting chance at making the connection. ^
Dec 25, 2013, 8:13 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: LAX and LHR. UA lifetime Gold 1.9MM 1K , DL Gold Medallion, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis President's Club
Posts: 3,592
Dec 25, 2013, 8:19 am
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,565
Dec 25, 2013, 9:23 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,123
Was on United 86 (PVG) on Saturday, the 21st. Check in was crazy -- even the Global Services area had overflowing crowd. Didnt help that there were only 2 agents on duty with one of them on the phone for 30 minutes trying to resolve an infant ticket issue. there were bags piled up just outside the GS area waiting to be taken into the back.
On the plane and doors close. Sitting there for a few minutes when the captain comes on and says we have a 15-20 minute delay as we are currently missing 174 bags that are supposed to be on this flight. Well 90 minutes later we finally leave once all of the bags are onboard.
Flight attendants said this has been happening all week and this is due to cutbacks/outsourcing at EWR -- any ideas if that is true?
Flight was 90 minutes late arriving into PVG so had quite a few people who missed connections.
On the plane and doors close. Sitting there for a few minutes when the captain comes on and says we have a 15-20 minute delay as we are currently missing 174 bags that are supposed to be on this flight. Well 90 minutes later we finally leave once all of the bags are onboard.
Flight attendants said this has been happening all week and this is due to cutbacks/outsourcing at EWR -- any ideas if that is true?
Flight was 90 minutes late arriving into PVG so had quite a few people who missed connections.
AD
Dec 25, 2013, 10:42 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,849
UA's Twitter account on the 22nd had many PAX arriving to their destinations without their baggage as well. Never saw so many Tweets regarding baggage on UA Twitters account.. Happy Holidays and Safe Travels.
Dec 25, 2013, 11:06 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: ABE/PHL/EWR
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 396
I checked skis two week ago at EWR at the non-premier check-in desks on level 2 (didn't feel like hauling them upstairs). I got the bag tagged and then wheeled the bag down to the end and dropped it off. I stood around for 15 minutes watching the skis in the corner and no action for my "oversized bag".
I had get over to B for my GE interview so I couldn't stick around to watch it get taken away. 40 minutes later, I returned back to C and sure enough my bag still hadn't been taken away. Waiting around for 15 more minutes, it was finally wheeled away.
Over an hour to get a bag into the system is a little ridiculous. The whole time there were plenty of guys standing around pushing the carts with normal sized luggage to elevators. I guess that's why UA requires bags to be checked 45 minutes prior at EWR?
I had get over to B for my GE interview so I couldn't stick around to watch it get taken away. 40 minutes later, I returned back to C and sure enough my bag still hadn't been taken away. Waiting around for 15 more minutes, it was finally wheeled away.
Over an hour to get a bag into the system is a little ridiculous. The whole time there were plenty of guys standing around pushing the carts with normal sized luggage to elevators. I guess that's why UA requires bags to be checked 45 minutes prior at EWR?