Delta Flight from UK to US Carries Zero Passengers but Delivers 1,000 Pieces of Stranded Luggage

Amanda Taylor
·2 min read
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Suitcases are seen uncollected at Heathrow's Terminal Three bagage reclaim, west of London on July 8, 2022. - British Airways on Wednesday axed another 10,300 short-haul flights up to the end of October, with the aviation sector battling staff shortages and booming demand as the pandemic recedes. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty

A Delta flight brought 1,000 bags stateside this week.

The Airbus A330-200, which boasts a capacity of 380 seats, didn't have a single passenger on it when it landed in Detroit.

But don't imagine all those suitcases buckled into first-class seats. According to a statement from Delta, "bags flew where they always do, in the designated baggage bins."

London-Heathrow Airport has been struggling to keep up with the demands of summer travel, due to staffing shortages and an increase in tourists coming through the travel hub. This week, Heathrow announced they would be limiting capacities in their facility, and asked airlines to cancel flights.

Suitcases are seen uncollected at Heathrow's Terminal Three bagage reclaim, west of London on July 8, 2022. - British Airways on Wednesday axed another 10,300 short-haul flights up to the end of October, with the aviation sector battling staff shortages and booming demand as the pandemic recedes. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty

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Delta, in compliance with the cancellation request, had the opportunity to work on "a creative solution" to move the delayed luggage, and sent the luggage-only flight to Detroit, where they "forwarded the bags on."

Travelers who were booked on the canceled flight were rebooked. In a statement to PEOPLE, a representative from Delta said it was an "operational decision made as the opportunity presented itself and to accelerate movement of delayed bags."

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The price of travel has not seemed to stop any would-be jetsetters from enjoying their vacation time this year. As reported by AAA, the average lowest airfare is 6% more than last year, and gas prices are still high. Nonetheless, "have time off, will travel" appears to be the motto for many.

The resulting high volumes of travelers have meant that Europe at large has been bogged down by the volume of travelers, as reported by The New York Times.

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Scandinavian airline SAS filed for bankruptcy protection after its pilots went on strike. Airport and airline staff have been staging walkouts, plus Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam and London's Gatwick Airport are capping their passenger capacity.

Heathrow's chief executive, John Holland-Kaye, told the Times they started recruiting in November but have been unable to fill spots for baggage handlers, among other things.

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On a conference call this week, Delta CEO Ed Bastian reported low earnings to investors, citing a figure close to $200 million to cover costs for overtime and premium pay for its employees, according to CNN.

"I want to thank our customers for their patience and understanding as we restore the reliability that you've come to expect from Delta," Bastian said on the call.