'Everyone was going crazy': Bucks woman loses luggage in Heathrow airport chaos

Eleanor Burleigh

27 June 2024 at 6:32 am·2-min read

'Everyone was going crazy': Bucks woman loses luggage in Heathrow airport chaos <i>(Image: PA)</i> — 'Everyone was going crazy': Bucks woman loses luggage in Heathrow airport chaos *(Image: PA)*

A woman from Hazlemere was left 'annoyed and upset' after a technical fault at Heathrow Airport meant she had to drive home without her luggage.

British Airways apologised to passengers after a "temporary technical fault" disrupted the baggage system at the UK's biggest airport on Tuesday, June 25.

Many travellers on flights departing from Heathrow didn't have their checked-in luggage put on the plane, while some of those on arriving flights faced long delays to retrieve their bags.

Speaking on June 26, a British Airways spokesperson described the incident as a problem that was "outside (the airline's) control".

Adding: "The issue has been resolved and we've brought in additional colleagues to support our teams in getting bags back to our customers as quickly as possible."

Francesca Bellis-Jones, a Hazlemere resident in her 60s who flew back from Crete with her husband on Tuesday afternoon, was forced to leave without her bags after waiting for an hour at the collection belt.

The semi-retired milliner said: "Eventually, one of the passengers appeared waving some paper and telling people that the luggage wasn't coming out at all.

"Of course, everyone was going crazy trying to find out what was happening. The staff gave no information at all apart from giving out these sheets telling you how to register that you hadn't got your luggage.

"I'm very annoyed about it as well as upset. I don't think it's too much to ask that an airline like BA in an airport like Heathrow gets right the fairly simple job of unloading suitcases from a plane."

Claire Wills, 41, told the PA News Agency that she waited three hours for her suitcase on Tuesday before being told to go home without it.

The lawyer, who lives in London, said: "There were so many confused and crying people. I'm deeply disappointed and frustrated with BA - there were hardly any staff there and only about two announcements in the three hours I was there to explain what was happening."

Writing on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, another passenger described the situation as "shambles".

He added: "No info, told just to go home. But need the bag for a wedding tomorrow and you're telling me (to wait) 48 hours for my bag!!!"

A spokesperson for Heathrow said: "British Airways experienced a technical issue with their allocation system. This has now been resolved.

"Our teams are onsite supporting BA with their recovery. We advise passengers to check with BA before travelling to the airport. No other airline is impacted."

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