On June 24th, 2022, eleven Mt. Vernon students, two parents, and two teachers took flight for Europe and landed in Zurich, Switzerland, early the next day. Out of the fifteen members in the group, only two arrived with their luggage.
Airlines across the globe have struggled this summer with an increasing demand for travel, along with a decreasing number of workers. This has resulted in many travelers losing their bags, including the members of one of the Mt. Vernon Europe trips that took place over the summer.

The groups’ bags were checked at Indianapolis airport’s gate, because there was no space left in the overhead storage. Their flight arrived late at the Philadelphia airport, causing them to rush to their connecting flight. The group made it to the plane in time, but their bags did not.
It is uncertain what happened next to the bags, but when the group landed they were told the bags had arrived in a Paris airport.
The only two who kept their bags were Mr. Guthrie and Mr. Carr. Mr. Guthrie was lucky enough to claim the last spot, and Mr. Carr was allowed to keep his bag because it could fit underneath his seat.
The result of this misfortune was that thirteen members of the group had no choice but to continue on the trip and hope that their bags would be delivered later. By the end of the trip, only three of the thirteen were received, and one arrived at their hotel only hours after they left for their next destination.
Despite the circumstances, the group refused to let it ruin their trip. A few of them became experts at doing laundry in hotel sinks and drying them on the balcony outside. The others had packed enough clothes in their carry-ons to last until their tour guide found a laundromat. Needless to say it was a challenge for everyone, but they all overcame it.
It has been nearly two months since the group’s return home on July 5th, and Mr Carr is still working tirelessly with American Airlines to track down the missing bags and return them to their owners.