Leeds family's missing luggage nightmare as holiday cancelled moments after checking bags at Manchester Airport

It has been 11 weeks now since their trip to Turkey was cancelled at the last minute and there is still no trace of two of their suitcases.

Lisa, 44, and her daughter, Summer, had arrived at Manchester Airport on June 1 with Lisa’s partner and stepson as they all prepared to embark on a flight to Dalaman in Turkey.

Having heard about a number of cancellations during May, nursery cook Lisa wanted to make sure her holiday would not be yet another casualty of the flight chaos.

“I actually rang them the night before,” she said. “I said, ‘is my holiday still going ahead?’ – the woman on the other end said, ‘yes, the flights are still definitely going ahead’.”

Having travelled from Leeds to Manchester Airport and checked in their suitcases, Lisa almost immediately received an email telling her the holiday had been cancelled.

After enquiring with reps at the airport, it was eventually confirmed to Lisa that the flight would not be taking place and she was assured that her luggage would be delivered to her home in Middleton the following day.

It took the family two weeks to get two of the suitcases – belonging to the two children – but the luggage belonging to Lisa and her partner could not be found.

Lisa said her partner’s suitcase had contained brand new clothes and trainers, while her suitcase contained clothes, shoes, make-up, hair straighteners, hair dryer and travel plugs.

“I have got no make-up, I have got no hair straighteners, I have hardly any decent clothes, because I took all of them with me," she said.

"I am making do with what I’ve got and I don’t have the money to go out and buy anymore.”

In the 11 weeks since then, Lisa has been unable to get anymore answers about the bags’ whereabouts.

"[The bags] go through Tui to another company who delivers them,” she said. “The other company say they are in the airport somewhere.

"I have sent them two emails and not one person has got back to me about these suitcases – and we haven’t got a clue as to what is going on with them.”

Lisa added that Tui had refunded her for the holiday and gave her vouchers for future getaways.

“They have been good in that way,” she added. “We have got things back, but this luggage situation is getting ridiculous. Nobody seems to know anything.

"My insurance won’t pay out until we get something called a PIR number from the airport, which apparently the airport gives you when your luggage is lost at the airport.

"We have booked another holiday with the vouchers they have given us for October but, at the minute, I have nothing to go with – so until I get some insurance money through, I am screwed.”

A representative from Manchester Airport said this was an issue for the airline and its ground handling agent, adding airport staff did not look after the baggage process.

Both TUI and its baggage-handling contractor Swissport have been approached for a comment.