Baggage chaos at Heathrow as furious passengers are forced to wait up to five hours for their luggage – with some told to go home without their bags
Passengers were outraged when some passengers were forced to wait up to five hours to collect their luggage and others were told to go home without their bags.
Luggage chaos broke out at Heathrow airport yesterday when hundreds of bags carried by British Airways were abandoned in terminal five.
Photos of the travel chaos have emerged online showing luggage and essential items left behind in the terminal.
It is understood that Heathrow Airport is responsible for outgoing baggage, while individual airlines are responsible for incoming baggage.
One passenger vented his anger on X, writing: ‘British Airways, really disappointing to go back to T5 and experience complete chaos on baggage arrivals.
‘Families wait for hours and are told to go home because their luggage is left all over the airport.’
Another described the situation as ‘a complete joke’ and wrote: ‘The flight that landed at 10.35 was delayed by 30 minutes.
‘There was a 3 hour wait to get to baggage claim and after two belt changes you were told that all the staff had gone home and you couldn’t collect your luggage.’
Luggage chaos broke out at Heathrow Airport yesterday when hundreds of bags carried by British Airways were abandoned in Terminal 5.
Photos of travel chaos showing flocks of luggage abandoned in the terminal have emerged online
Meanwhile, there was also baggage chaos for those leaving Heathrow due to a technical issue that caused some flights to leave without luggage.
‘What a mess,’ one passenger wrote. ‘No contact, no baggage and your website is now down to report unreclaimed baggage.
‘What does the customer need to do? Flight from Larnaca to Heathrow last night. Can you advise me what I should do?’
A customer described British Airways’ service as ‘horrible’ and ‘completely unacceptable’ when asked when they would receive their essentials.
Others claimed that passengers were instructed to leave the airport without their luggage and were told to report lost luggage.
Meanwhile, there was also baggage chaos for those leaving Heathrow due to a technical issue that caused some flights to leave without luggage.
One passenger claimed he saw his luggage ‘sitting on the ramp’ next to his plane in terminal five and the plane taking off ‘unloaded’.
They added: ‘We notified the cabin crew but nothing was done. I’m traveling with 7 checked bags and a baby.’
A mother has expressed her anger after her daughter’s 21st birthday celebrations in Dublin were ruined by the debacle.
‘My daughter British Airways flew from Heathrow to Dublin yesterday and arrived in Dublin without finding any cases and boarded the plane,’ he said.
‘I have no idea when or if they will get them. ‘He was there for his birthday weekend for his 21st birthday and was absolutely devastated.’
A newlywed woman has told how she was left ‘devastated’ when she discovered her bags were missing after landing in Corfu.
‘British Airways lost our bags on our honeymoon in Corfu,’ Daisy wrote.
‘I’m absolutely devastated, I’ve never had this problem in 15 years and this is happening on our honeymoon. Poor communication, hours of waiting and bags not arriving.’
A disgruntled customer responded to his tweet by claiming that a manager at the airport said flights were leaving without luggage, describing it as a ‘mess’.
Another chimed in: ‘That’s exactly what happened, by the way, BA [British Airways] It doesn’t do anything.”
‘My bag did not arrive from the British Airways flight from Heathrow to Glasgow,’ one passenger wrote.
‘I’ve made a request but I’m leaving Glasgow for a week’s holiday on Sunday morning and I need my bag urgently as it has everything in it.’
Another begged: ‘British_Airways lost her bags on the way from Heathrow to Chennai. Still no news! Help! @HeathrowAirport’
A Heathrow spokesperson said: ‘Due to a technical fault yesterday, some baggage did not leave Terminal 5 as planned and we apologize for any disruption this may have caused.
‘The problem has been resolved and passengers are checking in normally today.
‘We will continue to support British Airways to ensure that any missed baggage is resent as quickly as possible.’
British Airways has been approached for comment.
