Heathrow Airport has descended into chaos following an IT failure in British Airways’ baggage allocation system, leaving passengers stranded on planes and facing extensive delays in Terminal 5. The issue, which began last night, has led to massive queues and hours-long waits for luggage collection.
Videos from the terminal show stricken travelers forming long queues across the airport, struggling to locate their luggage. Footage inside the terminal reveals enormous queues outside BA’s baggage claim area and the customer assistance desk in the arrivals area.
As the problems persisted into the morning, passengers shared their frustrations, reporting panic attacks and difficulty calming children amid the chaos. One passenger even described the situation as making the UK seem like a “third world country.”
British Airways sent a text to affected passengers, stating: “We’re sorry to inform you that, due to a technical issue with our baggage allocation system at Heathrow, we can’t guarantee that your bags will have travelled with you on your flight today.”
Heathrow Airport confirmed that passengers traveling from Terminal 5 may be impacted by the failure, but no other airline has been affected. The situation remains ongoing as BA works to resolve the technical issues.
The disruption has caused significant inconvenience for many travelers, some of whom have been left without essential items and medications packed in their checked luggage. British Airways has apologized for the disruption and is advising passengers to contact customer service for assistance and updates.
Passengers are advised to check the status of their flights and baggage before heading to the airport. The airline and airport authorities are working to rectify the situation and minimize further delays.