T5 glitches continue through weekend

When London Heathrow International Airport unveiled its glitzy, shiny new Terminal 5 building to its first flights last Thursday, things couldn’t have gone worse. Problems with the baggage systems left hundreds of travellers stranded as flights began to be cancelled; and the cancellations didn’t stop. Even into the weekend problems persisted, as British Airways said they had to deal with how to return 15,000 pieces of luggage to their owners.

For a terminal whose sole job it was to show how Heathrow’s notorious headaches for passengers could be alleviated, this did not look good for airport operators BAA. Even as a new week begins, travellers are asked to check the British Airways website before arriving at the airport to make sure their flight is still on schedule, if not cancelled completely.

Chief executive of British Airways Willie Walsh, after apologizing for the problems, said he would not be tendering his resignation any time soon, and assured the public that the situation would be rectified within a matter of days.

www.heathrowairport.com