Heathrow Airport is in chaos after an IT allocation failure in British Airways’ systems left passengers stranded on planes and facing hours of delays in collecting their luggage.
The UK’s busiest airport revealed that passengers travelling from Terminal 5 “may be impacted” by the failure in BA’s allocation systems, adding that no other airline has been affected.
Videos from the terminal show massive queues of stricken travellers forming across the airport as passengers struggle to correctly find their luggage.
Footage from inside the transport hub shows enormous queues forming outside BA’s baggage claim area in the terminal, as well as the customer assistance desk in the arrivals area.
Panicking families have shared their frustration on social media, as they try to calm children having panic attacks and wait for hours, branding the UK a “third-world country.
Earlier tonight, British Airways sent a text to affected passengers that read: “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.”
The UK’s most popular airport said tonight on X that passengers travelling from Terminal 5 “may be impacted” by the failure in BA’s allocation systems.
One passenger said that she had been waiting for two hours at Heathrow as she returned from her wedding and honeymoon, but other passengers had been around for much longer.
The beleaguered bride said: “I am returning from my wedding/honeymoon with my husband. A less-than-fabulous end to what is meant to be a trip of a lifetime. BA cancelled our flights home yesterday with 1.5 hours notice. They tried to put us on a 6-hour flight via Madrid but we refused this. We re-booked onto a flight this evening which was delayed two hours. Now two hours waiting in baggage claim without a clear timeline or communication on when things will be resolved. The staff here are trying their best and it’s not their fault.”
Brits returning from dream holidays have been left stranded in Heathrow as they wait for their bags to be delivered.
Sharing a photo of an empty desk, she added that there has been: “No customer service beyond two poor ladies dealing with lots of angry customers!”
Despite Heathrow’s claims that no other airline has been affected by BA’s IT failure, analysis of FlightRadar data shows that almost all the flights that departed from Heathrow this evening were significantly delayed, with many being cancelled outright.
Just 11 out of the 174 flights that were due to leave the airport since 6 pm tonight left on time, data showed.
Passengers were furious with the delay. One took to X to say: “Shambles at Heathrow Airport, no bags arriving. No info just told to go home. but need the bag for a wedding tomorrow and you’re telling me 48 hours for by bag!!! NO INFO”
Another social media user called the situation “disgraceful.”
Phil Beck added that he had been waiting for his flight for more than four hours. He said: “8pm flight from Aberdeen to LHR tonight. It’s now past midnight. I’m waiting for bags at Heathrow that may never come. Third world airline in a third world country.
Rob, who is stuck coming back from Madrid, said: “My family have been stuck on a plane that landed from Madrid 90 mins ago. Absolute disgrace. My daughter is having a panic attack and the pilot is not being given any updates.
Another passenger begged BA: “Can you please get my and hundreds of other passengers’ bags delivered to us in Nice from London Heathrow? Why did absolutely no bags make it onto our flight?”
A Heathrow spokesperson said: “We are supporting British Airways with a technical issue with their allocation system. We advise passengers to check with BA before travelling to the airport. BA passengers in Terminals 5 may be impacted and are advised to contact BA for assistance. No other airline is impacted.”
The severe delays come just a day after a ground vehicle caught on fire by a BA plane parked at Heathrow’s Terminal 5.
