Check-in suspended at Terminal 5

All baggage check-in has been suspended on a disastrous day at Heathrow's new £4.3 billion Terminal 5.The decision, taken after a series of problems had wrecked what should have been a landmark day at the west London airport, meant travellers could only fly with carry-on hand luggage.It completed what had been an utterly miserable few hours for many passengers, for BA and for airport operator BAA, with BA having to cancel 34 flights.After a good start to the day, with the first flight arriving eight minutes early and no luggage delays, problems accumulated. First, staff had problems with the car park, then a computer problem led to some departing flights having to leave with no luggage aboard.Downstairs in the giant building, passengers off the first Hong Kong flight all got their bags in quick time. But soon it was clear there were major problems with baggage reclaim, with some passengers having to wait as long as two-and-a-half hours to collect their cases.By lunch time the knock-on affect of all the problems led BA to cancel 20 flights - a figure which later increased to 34.By early afternoon, a huge queue of more than 100 people wound back from the cancellation flights desk as people lined up to try to get away on other flights or get refunds.To add to the difficulties the luggage belt in one part of the departure lounge failed and passengers were moved further down to a workable area.Then at around 5pm, BA decided to suspend the checking in of all luggage going into the hold. This left passengers already at the airport with the choice of either flying with just hand luggage, getting an alternative flight or getting their money back.The Department for Transport said: "We expect British Airways and BAA to work hard to resolve these issues and limit disruption to passengers."A BA spokesman said: "British Airways flights from Heathrow Terminal 5 will depart with hand baggage only with immediate effect due to problems associated with processing customers' baggage."BAA and British Airways are advising customers to check-in at Terminal 5 with hand baggage only if they wish to travel tonight or to telephone the airline for a refund or to rebook."Customers already at Terminal 5 who have not yet checked-in can travel with hand baggage only, rebook their travel plans or receive a refund."BA apologises to customers for the problems during Terminal 5's first day of operations following one of the most complex and largest airport moves in history."Customers can telephone 0800 727800 or check ba.com for the latest information. Customers departing from Heathrow Terminal 1 and Terminal 4 should check-in as normal."Some passengers were downright angry. Kate Adamson, 39, travelling from Frankfurt with her daughter Olivia, five, walked out of the baggage reclaim without her luggage after failing to reconnect with her bags after 90 minutes.Mrs Adamson, who was visiting her parents in Maidenhead, Berkshire, said: "I am furious. Staff have been really surly. I've given up. They can send my bags on to me."Before the major problems kicked in, BA chief executive Willie Walsh, who had greeted the first plane to arrive at 4.42am, had spoken of how successfully the day had begun.The first flight, from Hong Kong, was commanded by Captain Lynn Barton, 51, who was BA's first woman pilot.Passengers on this flight received special mementos of the day, as did those on the first departing flight, which pushed off the stand on time at 6.20am to Paris.Both BA and airport operator BAA had spoken of the possibility of the terminal needing a "bedding down period". But both companies will be bitterly disappointed that the opening day has seen so many problems.Some passengers complained of difficulty following the road signs on the approaches to the airport and BAA said that this was something that they would be looking into.© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.

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ITN | March 27, 2008

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