Baggage handling troubles persist at Heathrow's new Terminal 5

[Bulldog]

LONDON - Looks great, doesn't work very well.

That's the verdict on Heathrow Airport's new Terminal 5 building, with embarrassed British Airways officials now saying flight cancellations may extend into Saturday.

BA is the sole occupant of the mammoth new terminal, which had been praised as a solution to Heathrow's chronic congestion.

But it has been hit with severe baggage handling problems since the new terminal opened Thursday morning, leading to long lines of angry, stranded passengers.

Airline officials were forced to cancel 68 out of 380 flights in and out of the terminal Thursday and to restrict passengers to hand luggage only.

Today they said they hoped to operate 80 per cent of scheduled flights, but cancellations included BA flights to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. BA chief executive Willie Walsh says "We got off to a very poor start," and has offered his sincere apologies to BA's customers.

http://travel.canoe.ca/Travel/News/2008/03/27/5117776-ap.html

[Harlequin]

Heathrow has had years of practice of mishandling baggage I guess it will take them a while to get used to doing it right, it is still going to be some time before Heathrow operates efficiently now T5 is open they are going to demolish and rebuild T2

[Harlequin]

 Terminal 5 insurance cover cut

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7348139.stm