Flight passengers left without luggage after technical hitch

Turkish Airlines plane flies back without unloading luggage

Updated 10.36pm with MIA comment.

A Turkish Airlines flight to Malta on Monday evening flew back to Istanbul without unloading luggage because of a technical issue, passengers told Times of Malta.

The flight arrived in Malta on time at 7pm and passengers said they waited for an hour for their luggage at the airport carousels before an official told them that the bags were stuck in the cargo hold and the aircraft had to fly back to Istanbul.

Passengers wait for their luggage at Malta airport.Passengers wait for their luggage at Malta airport.

"My luggage arrived in Malta, I had an airtag in it and I could see that it was here, but now we have been told to file a claim," one passenger told Times of Malta.

The passenger said that he and many others were asked to fill in claim forms giving their particulars and details about their luggage. They were also told to email the airline.

No one could tell the passengers when to expect their bags.

Malta International Airport said its teams were aware of the case. "The ground handler and the airline are working to deliver the luggage at the soonest," the company said.

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