Passengers traveling into the University Park Airport after Thanks-giving break had to claim their luggage curbside -- in the rain -- because of a delay in airport renovations.
Charles Welch, director of the Centre County Airport Authority, said the construction was scheduled to be completed in September but was pushed back because the subcontractor failed to construct the baggage handling system in a "effective and timely manner."
The University Park Airport has been undergoing renovations to expand its terminal since early this year. The misplacement of baggage is only temporary, Welch said, and the construction of the baggage system should be completed within the next few weeks.
As a result, hundreds of passengers had their personal belongings placed outside of the airport. Erica Lorin (sophomore-public r elations) said the luggage was piled onto a "big truck" and left outside.
Lorin, who flew from California to Philadelphia then to University Park, said she rummaged through the piles in the rain Sunday for more than 10 minutes before she recovered her belongings.
"You have to wait for people with luggage below yours to get their stuff," she said. "When it's raining, all your luggage gets wet and you have to wash everything ... but other than that, I guess it's nicer when it's outside."
Welch said he does not foresee any negative effects to the airport caused by the delay of construction except for the inconveniences caused by inclement weather.
"If the weather is bad, they'll complain," Welch said. "But they have to get to their cars so they just pick up their bags on their way to their cars."
Sydnie Joseph (sophomore-biobehavioral health), who arrived at the University Park Airport at 11:20 p.m. Sunday on her flight from New Mexico, said the baggage claiming process was too time consuming and was only made worse by terrible weather conditions.
"It was cold and rainy," she said. "It was just annoying more so than anything else."
Lorin, however, said she was more concerned by the "lack of focus on customer satisfaction" offered by the University Park Airport.
"No one at the airport offered to help," she said. "It's so expensive and disorganized. ... I don't think I'll be flying out of State College again."
