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Airline tackles luggage mountain Airline tackles luggage mountain
(about 2 hours later)
Thousands of items of unclaimed luggage are piled up at Heathrow Airport because of faulty equipment and poor weather, British Airways (BA) has said. Thousands of items of luggage are piled up at Heathrow Airport because of faulty equipment and poor weather.
Problems began before Christmas when a faulty baggage belt at Terminal Four and cancellations caused by fog stopped 10,000 bags from being delivered. Problems began before Christmas when a faulty baggage belt at Terminal Four and cancellations caused by fog stopped 10,000 bags being delivered.
BA said many were still stacked up at Terminals One and Four and it was using freight planes to clear the backlog. British Airways (BA) said it was using freight planes to clear the backlog and it hoped passengers would have their bags within 48 hours.
The airline said about half the bags belonged to its passengers. BA said half the bags belonged to passengers from other airlines.
Second belt problem "We have put on air freighter planes to get the bags to their owners, and we have drafted in a number of volunteers to help," said a spokesman for BA.
A spokesman explained the problem began with the faulty baggage belt. No attempt was being made to do anything about the situation Colin Barber, passenger href="/1/hi/uk/6225893.stm" class="">Passenger fears Heathrow baggage 'chaos'
No attempt was being made to do anything about the situation Colin Barber href="/1/hi/uk/6225893.stm" class="">Passenger fears Heathrow baggage 'chaos' The airline said the problems coincided with the introduction of new working practices for baggage handlers at Terminals One and Four.
"That caused the initial backlog and about 8,000 bags were not delivered," he said. The company is preparing to move its entire Heathrow operation to the new Terminal Five in March 2008.
A second problem with the baggage belt on 29 December and the fog led to about 10,000 bags not being delivered. It wants its baggage handlers to be working under one system when they come together at Terminal Five.
"We have put on air freighter planes to get the bags to their owners, and we have drafted in a number of volunteers to help," he said. Technical issues
A spokesman for airline BMI said problems it had had earlier in the week were resolved by Monday. Currently the 2,000 handlers are allocated work in different ways depending on whether they are at Terminal One or Four.
The spokesman added that the problems coincided with the introduction of new working practices for baggage handlers at Terminals One and Four.
New terminal
A spokeswoman from the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) said: "There's an ongoing pressure on staff which can be exacerbated by technical issues or circumstances beyond their control."
The problems come as BA prepares to move its entire Heathrow operation to the new Terminal Five in March 2008.
LOST LUGGAGE COMPENSATION Airlines liable for damage under Montreal ConventionConvention puts a maximum limit on airline's liabilityConvention puts time limit on claimsFor delayed bags, some airlines give immediate payments for purchasesAirlines must treat baggage as 'lost' after 21 days' delayFor lost luggage, airlines may ask for item list and receiptsPassengers may get a better settlement from travel or home contents insurance Source: Air Transport Users Council Heathrow baggage chaosLOST LUGGAGE COMPENSATION Airlines liable for damage under Montreal ConventionConvention puts a maximum limit on airline's liabilityConvention puts time limit on claimsFor delayed bags, some airlines give immediate payments for purchasesAirlines must treat baggage as 'lost' after 21 days' delayFor lost luggage, airlines may ask for item list and receiptsPassengers may get a better settlement from travel or home contents insurance Source: Air Transport Users Council Heathrow baggage chaos
A BA spokeswoman said it had 2,000 baggage handlers working at Terminals One and Four and working practices needed to be changed so that all were working under the same system at Terminal Five. The BA spokeswoman denied reports the problems had been made worse by not having enough staff.
She said there were differences in the way handlers were allocated work, with some receiving job sheets with all of the day's flights they would be loading or unloading, while others received work on a flight-by-flight basis. A spokeswoman from the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) said: "There's an ongoing pressure on staff which can be exacerbated by technical issues or circumstances beyond their control."
She denied reports the problems had been made worse by too few staff. The loss of bags has caused frustration for passengers.
Hundreds of Heathrow flights were cancelled and delayed in the week before Christmas due to the fog. "My bags were lost at Terminal Four on 30 Dec and still have not been returned.
At the height of the chaos, thousands of passengers were forced to wait for news of flights in temporary marquees outside Heathrow in freezing temperatures. "The phone lines are now down and the web site is useless," reader Dave Penlington told BBC News.
Passenger Colin Barber said he asked staff about unattended bags piled up at the airport.
Baggage monitored
"No attempt was being made to do anything about the situation," he alleged.
HAVE YOUR SAY The only time that my luggage has ever been lost was when flying to Heathrow K B Send us your commentsHAVE YOUR SAY The only time that my luggage has ever been lost was when flying to Heathrow K B Send us your comments
Passenger Colin Barber wrote to the BBC News website with concerns about the piles of unattended lost luggage at the airport. Hundreds of Heathrow flights were cancelled and delayed in the week before Christmas due to the fog.
After questioning staff about the bags he said: "No attempt was being made to do anything about the situation." BA said the bags were being monitored by staff as they awaited collection.
BA said the bags, which belonged to passengers from a number of airlines, were being monitored by staff as they awaited collection by customers or courier companies. A spokesman for airline BMI said problems it had had earlier in the week were resolved by Monday.
In a statement the firm said it hoped to reunite passengers with their luggage within 48 hours.
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