Switzerland-Spain flight leaves with 111 on board but no luggage

A plane flying from Switzerland to Spain reportedly left the luggage of all 111 passengers behind over the weekend.

"Operational reasons" prompted the Swiss International Air Lines flight to leave all the luggage in Zurich and travel to Bilbao without it, unbeknownst to passengers.

Swiss International Air Lines spokesperson Kavin Ampalam told AFP that there was a shortage of ground staff and the crew had waited for over an hour for the situation to be rectified.

However, after "one hour and 16 minutes, the situation was still unchanged, and for operational reasons we decided to fly to Bilbao without the baggage," he said.

Swiss newspaper Blick reported that passengers waited for their luggage in Bilbao for over two hours before staff from another airline informed them that there was no baggage on board the plane.

"Our vacation is ruined," one passenger told the newspaper.

Ampalam told AFP that the reason the flight left without the baggage was so that the airline could pick up passengers in Bilbao and get the plane back to Zurich before the airport closed.

"We understand the situation is not favourable for the people involved, and of course we regret the inconvenience."