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| Second day of baggage chaos at T5 | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Further chaos is expected at Heathrow's Terminal 5 after its opening day was marred by a catalogue of errors which left many stranded overnight. | |
| So far, more than 30 departures have been cancelled, queues are building and frustrated passengers have missed flights - blaming lack of information. | |
| On Thursday, hold luggage services were suspended and 34 flights cancelled. | |
| British Airways says it plans to operate only 80% of flights - the day after the £4.3bn facility opened. | |
| According to the airline's website, 36 of Friday's flights from T5 have been cancelled. | |
| First day chaos | |
| The airline, which has sole use of T5, says it has drafted in extra staff and held meetings through the night to try and ease the problems that wrecked the terminal's first day. | The airline, which has sole use of T5, says it has drafted in extra staff and held meetings through the night to try and ease the problems that wrecked the terminal's first day. |
| On its first day of operation, hold luggage services were suspended as a result of a baggage backlog, 34 flights were cancelled and passengers had to wait up to four hours to reclaim their luggage. | |
| Some stranded travellers spent the night on the floor of the new building. | Some stranded travellers spent the night on the floor of the new building. |
| BA, which has sole use of T5, said: "We sincerely apologise to those customers who have suffered disrupted journeys." | 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." | 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 served by other flights during the day. | A spokesman stressed that Friday's cancelled flights were all to short-haul destinations, which would be served by other flights during the day. |
| In all, BA will be operating 80% of its planned flights in and out of Terminal 5, including all scheduled long-haul flights. | In all, BA will be operating 80% of its planned flights in and out of Terminal 5, including all scheduled long-haul flights. |
| People have been let down, let's be honest about it David Wilshire MP Fury at Heathrow 'shambles' href="/1/hi/default.stm">In pictures: chaos at new T5 | |
| Passengers on Thursday's cancelled flights were offered £100 towards the cost of overnight accommodation by the airline, but travellers reported that local hotels were charging up to twice that figure. | Passengers on Thursday's cancelled flights were offered £100 towards the cost of overnight accommodation by the airline, but travellers reported that local hotels were charging up to twice that figure. |
| 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. | 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." |
| '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 Heathrow upheavalT5's economic importance | 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 Heathrow upheavalT5'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 |