Swedish police called over airport luggage row
A dispute that erupted over a family’s refusal to pay for excess luggage at a check-in counter at Stockholm’s Arlanda airport on Sunday spiralled out of control to the point that police had to be called to the scene to try to mediate.
The family members, who were headed to Turkey for a holiday, were infuriated when they were told by check-in staff that their luggage weighed too much and that they would have to pay extra if they were to bring it on board. But the family refused, resulting in both parties calling the police to the scene after one of the would-be passengers began throwing money around.
“Everyone was pretty agitated,” police spokesman Sven-Erik Olsson told Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet.
“The woman (in the family) got so upset that she fainted.”
Olsson said that the situation calmed down once officers arrived at the check-in desk to try to mediate.
In the meantime, the family’s flight to Turkey took off without them.
“The family had to pay for the excess weight, the staff didn’t give in on that point. But then they missed the flight so they had to take a later one,” Olsson said.
The woman who fainted had to stay in Sweden, however.
Olsson said that it is not unusual that the excess luggage rules can cause conflicts between passengers and airline staff, but added that it is rare for police to have to get involved in this type of dispute.
“I know excess (luggage) weight can stir up emotions. If you have a lot of extra weight it can get expensive,” he said.
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The family members, who were headed to Turkey for a holiday, were infuriated when they were told by check-in staff that their luggage weighed too much and that they would have to pay extra if they were to bring it on board. But the family refused, resulting in both parties calling the police to the scene after one of the would-be passengers began throwing money around.
“Everyone was pretty agitated,” police spokesman Sven-Erik Olsson told Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet.
“The woman (in the family) got so upset that she fainted.”
Olsson said that the situation calmed down once officers arrived at the check-in desk to try to mediate.
In the meantime, the family’s flight to Turkey took off without them.
“The family had to pay for the excess weight, the staff didn’t give in on that point. But then they missed the flight so they had to take a later one,” Olsson said.
The woman who fainted had to stay in Sweden, however.
Olsson said that it is not unusual that the excess luggage rules can cause conflicts between passengers and airline staff, but added that it is rare for police to have to get involved in this type of dispute.
“I know excess (luggage) weight can stir up emotions. If you have a lot of extra weight it can get expensive,” he said.
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