The Sidney International Airport is having a horrible time the last 3 weeks with their baggage system. Almost 7,000 Bags have missed their flights and delays have been caused as airport tries to introduce a new automated system by January 1st.

Flights were delayed again yesterday, and frustrated airlines have warned the situation could get worse as the airport tries to introduce automated bag-screening technology on January 1.

Transport Workers Union spokesman Nimrod Nyols said a two-hour glitch with the system meant 132 bags missed an Air New Zealand flight and 147 bags failed to make a Vietnam Airlines flight.

The union estimated about 6800 bags had missed flights in the past 20 days. The airport disputes the figure.

Mr Nyols said the TWU had raised concerns about bags missing flights, as well as inadequate security.

We’ve got bags coming through the system and our guys don’t even know if they’ve been screened or not,” he said. “It’s pretty messy.”

Board of Airline Representatives of Australia director Warren Bennett said the baggage systems at Sydney and Melbourne airports were in “a pretty sorry state”. via The Australian

Whatever mental midget decided to install the baggage system in the middle of the Christmas travel season has some explaining to do. Projects like these should be done at the slowest time of the year for the airports, not the busiest!