An agonizing wait at Orlando International Airport (ORL) unfolded on Saturday, June 27, when arriving passengers off a Virgin Atlantic flight were told they would be waiting for the delivery of checked baggage, and that due to weather conditions there were delays. The aircraft had arrived from London at around 7:00 PM local time, but it had stretched past midnight before any sign of bags arrived.
Unfortunately, there happened to be three other VS flights facing the same ordeal. Adding salt to the wound, the advice from airport officials was that passengers were not permitted to leave the baggage claim hall without their bags; otherwise, they could face arrest. One passenger recalled the experience to the Orlando Sentinel, noting that she had ‘never seen anything like this’.
Over Five Hours Waiting For Bags To Arrive On The Carousel
On Saturday, June 27, Virgin had been operating its scheduled service from 
London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Orlando, when on arrival in the Sunshine State, the airport was experiencing less than ideal weather conditions. As passengers disembarked from the plane, they were advised that there would be a delay in unloading the bags from the plane until conditions improved.
Passengers made their way through immigration, and once they arrived at the baggage hall, there was still no sign of any checked bags. The wait continued, and eventually airport officials advised that this wait may be extended. After five hours, and past the stroke of midnight, patience was running thin, and passengers clearly were looking for alternative options, including abandoning their belongings.
Airport officials then stepped in and warned that if any passengers attempted to leave without their bags, they could risk arrest.
All Passengers Must Retrieve Bags Before Leaving The Airport
The US Customs and Border Protection requires all passengers who arrive on international flights to claim their bags before leaving the airport. In addition to this arriving flight, it is understood that three other arriving Virgin flights into Orlando were facing the same problem, leading to more than 800 passengers stranded while they wait.
For those stuck in the baggage hall, there was no adequate seating or food, with recollections from travelers in the report by Yahoo, noting that elderly people and babies were forced to sit on the ground. At one stage, a passenger collapsed, which required emergency services to attend. Fortunately, there was only one report of this occurring.
The airport has responded with the following statement:
“We understand how frustrating and disruptive unexpected weather conditions can be and we also recognize how challenging it can feel when there are no eateries available in the customs area. We sincerely regret that these circumstances affected your plans and overall experience.”
Food Vouchers Offered By Virgin Atlantic
Virgin has since made contact with the affected passengers via email, apologizing for the events that occurred at Orlando on arrival, and has offered to reimburse passengers for all snacks that were purchased during the agonizing long wait, even though food options were limited.
In the United States, there are strict protocols around leaving the airport without your checked bags, and all international travelers are required to collect these before leaving the customs area, even if transiting onto another flight. This is due to the ‘no unaccompanied bags’ rule, where passengers cannot leave a bag unattended in a sterile airport environment, as this can create additional security risks and, in extreme cases, airport terminal evacuations or confiscation by security.
Virgin operates non-stop year-round services to Orlando from London Heathrow and Manchester Airport (MAN), while seasonal flights are added across the Northern Hemisphere winter season from Edinburgh Airport (EDI). The airline will shift its operations from Terminal A to Terminal C this coming Tuesday.
For those who arrived on Virgin flights to Orlando on Saturday, it was hardly the welcome to Florida they had been hoping for. While it can be normal for some delay in arriving baggage, many will continue to question as to whether five hours was acceptable.
