Passengers to load bags

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34021, 10 December 1975, Page 13

Passengers to load bags

Passengers flying with National Airways will be responsible from Monday for claiming their own luggage at airports and seeing that it is placed on transport into; the city. The change has come about because of the airline’s withdrawal from direct control of; airport-city bus services. Now! the airline is responsible only for the security of a passenger's luggage while it is in

ithe direct control of the air-1 'line. i Under the new system the 1 passenger using the bus ser- < [vice into the city, now to be provided by the Christchurch i Transport Board, is in the ( ;same position as one using a t private car. i<

He is responsible for picking up his baggage at the airport and ensuring that it goes on the correct vehicle. Though the new system is not expected to inconvenience greatly most passengers, the airline will see that passengers who are handicapped

or otherwise unable to handle their own bags can be helped. Baggage not claimed after its arrival at the airport will be held in a secure place there until it is identified and collected. The International Air Transport Association has suggested that the 50m passengers who will be travelling by air during the DecemberJanuary holiday season pay attention to some elementary details so that they avoid hold-ups. The association suggests that luggage be locked and carry personal identification,: that correct destination ad-; dresses are given, that the! baggage weight does not exceed the free allowance, and that if the baggage is not de-: livered to the claim area at one’s destination, the airline ; should be promptly notified. Less than 1 per cent of al) passenger baggage handled [by airlines goes astray, but even this small percentage ‘creates inconvenience.