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| BA cancels 34 flights from new T5 | BA cancels 34 flights from new T5 |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| British Airways has cancelled 34 more flights from Heathrow's Terminal 5 the day after it opened but says passengers will be able to check in hold luggage. | British Airways has cancelled 34 more flights from Heathrow's Terminal 5 the day after it opened but says passengers will be able to check in hold luggage. |
| Hold luggage services were suspended as a result of a baggage backlog and 34 flights were cancelled at the £4.3bn T5 on its first day of operation. | |
| Thousands of travellers were forced to stay in hotels overnight. | |
| BA, which has sole use of T5, said: "We sincerely apologise to those customers who have suffered disrupted journeys." | |
| Chief executive Willie Walsh said: "I am very sorry that the problems have meant that some of our customers did not experience the true potential of this amazing new building. | |
| The airline advised customers to check its website, www.ba.com, for service updates. | The airline advised customers to check its website, www.ba.com, for service updates. |
| A spokesman stressed that Friday's cancelled flights were all to short-haul destinations, which would be covered by other BA flights during the day. | |
| 'Starting glitch' | |
| BA cancelled 34 flights on Thursday and passengers had to wait up to four hours to reclaim their luggage. | BA cancelled 34 flights on Thursday and passengers had to wait up to four hours to reclaim their luggage. |
| It's such a disgrace to this country that it should be such a shambles Passenger Ena Goodman href="/1/hi/uk/7317797.stm">Fury at Heathrow 'shambles' class="" href="/1/hi/default.stm">In pictures: chaos at new T5 | |
| In a statement, the company said the backlog had been caused by a number of factors, including delays at the staff car park and security hold-ups which affected baggage handlers. | |
| Local Conservative MP David Wilshire, who serves on the Commons Transport Committee, said it was not clear who was to blame - BA or the airport's owner, BAA. | Local Conservative MP David Wilshire, who serves on the Commons Transport Committee, said it was not clear who was to blame - BA or the airport's owner, BAA. |
| "The problem in getting to the real truth of this. | "The problem in getting to the real truth of this. |
| "'Not my fault, guv, maybe his fault guv' is, I think, a bit of the problem," Mr Wilshire said. | "'Not my fault, guv, maybe his fault guv' is, I think, a bit of the problem," Mr Wilshire said. |
| "And we won't get to the bottom of this until we know a bit more. What we have to find out is why this has happened and make sure it's put right and hope that this is really a starting glitch. People have been let down, let's be honest about it." | "And we won't get to the bottom of this until we know a bit more. What we have to find out is why this has happened and make sure it's put right and hope that this is really a starting glitch. People have been let down, let's be honest about it." |
| BA offered passengers on cancelled flights £100 towards the cost of overnight accommodation, but travellers reported that local hotels were charging up to twice that figure. | BA offered passengers on cancelled flights £100 towards the cost of overnight accommodation, but travellers reported that local hotels were charging up to twice that figure. |
| 'Teething problems' | 'Teething problems' |
| The suspension of luggage check-in was just the latest problem to hit passengers hoping to leave T5 on its opening day. | The suspension of luggage check-in was just the latest problem to hit passengers hoping to leave T5 on its opening day. |
| BA earlier announced that "initial teething problems" with car parking provision, delays in staff security screening and staff familiarisation had resulted in a backlog of baggage. BA TERMINAL CHANGES 27 March: Domestic and most European flights move from Terminal 1 to T527 March: Long-haul flights from Terminal 1 move to T527 March: Miami service moves from Terminal 3 to T530 March: Algiers moves from Gatwick to T530 April: All Terminal 4 long-haul go to T5 (except Singapore, Bangkok and Sydney)17 Sept: Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Nice and Helsinki move from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3Early 2009: Singapore, Bangkok and Sydney move from Terminal 4 to Terminal 3 Source: BA class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7317071.stm">Heathrow upheaval class="" href="/1/hi/business/7317508.stm">T5's economic importance | |
| This led the airline to cancel a number of flights in and out of the terminal, including services to Munich, Frankfurt, Paris and Brussels as well as Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. | This led the airline to cancel a number of flights in and out of the terminal, including services to Munich, Frankfurt, Paris and Brussels as well as Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. |
| A further technical fault also meant seven flights left T5 without luggage on board. | A further technical fault also meant seven flights left T5 without luggage on board. |
| The BBC's transport correspondent Tom Symonds said the backlog was caused by problems with the airport's three-stage luggage processing system. | The BBC's transport correspondent Tom Symonds said the backlog was caused by problems with the airport's three-stage luggage processing system. |
| The first stage - the fast bag drop - was working as planned, he said. But the second stage, an underground conveyor system, had become clogged up. | The first stage - the fast bag drop - was working as planned, he said. But the second stage, an underground conveyor system, had become clogged up. |
| This was being blamed on staff failing to remove luggage quickly enough at the final unloading stage. | This was being blamed on staff failing to remove luggage quickly enough at the final unloading stage. |
| In a statement, the Department for Transport said it expected BA and airport operator BAA "to work hard to resolve these issues and limit disruption to passengers". | In a statement, the Department for Transport said it expected BA and airport operator BAA "to work hard to resolve these issues and limit disruption to passengers". |
| BA has set up an information line for T5 passengers: 0800 727800 | BA has set up an information line for T5 passengers: 0800 727800 |
| Have you been through Terminal 5 today? What was it like? Do you work there? Tell us about the new terminal at Heathrow airport. | Have you been through Terminal 5 today? What was it like? Do you work there? Tell us about the new terminal at Heathrow airport. |
| You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via MMS please dial +44 (0)7725 100 100. | You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via MMS please dial +44 (0)7725 100 100. |
| Do not endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | Do not endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |
| Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video | Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video |