Thousands hit by lost luggage

TENS of thousands of passengers have been left without their luggage after this week’s snowstorms disrupted flights using Paris Charles-de-Gaulle airport.

Air France said that the snow and ice had made it difficult to get luggage transferred between the airport’s terminals and it is thought that more than 10,000 suitcases and bags are affected.

The airline said it “regrets the situation at Roissy” and is working flat out to “get luggage delivered to passengers in France and round the world” and has a “500 staff working directly on this”. It has also set up a special phone line on 09 70 80 88 16 to get details.

It added that its staff handle more than 60,000 cases on a normal working day.

Flights from Charles-de-Gaulle had returned to normal today.

Most roads across the north of France have been reopened – although Météo France has maintained the orange alert for black ice in 19 departments and flood warnings are in place with the coming thaw.