Something not adding up here. One hour before departure and the passenger has only just completed check-in. There is also a dispute about weight.
40 minutes prior to departure, the passenger is STILL in the departures hall and has not completed immigration and security.
The flight would have been boarding in 10 minutes.
Perhaps the bags were on stand-by because the check-in staff were waiting for the passenger to make up their mind about what they were doing? Or because there were fees outstanding for excess weight?
Very odd that for 10 kioos additional weight, the passenger would have been willing to upgrade to a business class fare, the difference of some $2000-$4000 I'm guessing, per passenger? For an extra 10 kilos? Doesn't sound right.
The whole timing thing has me concerned, and i think the bags were held back for that reason. Even if the passenger was waiting for his family to come from the car park, just 40 minutes prior to departure, it would be right and correct for the airline to hold the bags - no point sending them down and then having to off load them as a no show.
I think the OP may have been asked to go away and consider whether they wanted to fly or not, and that is why bags remained. by 40 minutes it was all too late to enquire about the cancellation of the ticket so the passenger was simply off loaded.
(sorry if this has already been covered but the thread is growing faster than I can read it!!)