Düsseldorf Airport: Leap year paralyzes baggage software

On Monday, around 1,200 suitcases were stuck at the Düsseldorf airport while arriving passengers struggled to find their luggage. The reason was that the software for the baggage handling system went out of sync because of February's extra day for leap year. "The system didn't recognize February 29 as a day," an airport spokesman said. It also is not the first time this has happened.

According to an article on the online news site Rheinischen Post, there have been delays at check-in desks because the staff had to sort baggage by hand. Hundreds of suitcases did not reach their flights.

The problem was solved around noon with a software update. The Düsseldorf airport handles between 25,000 to 50,000 pieces of luggage every day. "We hope that we'll do better in four years," a spokesman said, adding that travelers will receive their luggage within 48 hours. The airport advises travelers not to pack necessities like medication in their suitcases and to always carry those in their carry-on baggage.