Heathrow Airport chaos leaves British Airways passengers desperately searching for their luggage

British Airways has issued an apology following a "temporary technical fault" that wreaked havoc on its baggage system at Heathrow Airport, leaving numerous passengers without their checked luggage on departing flights from the bustling west London hub. Arriving travellers were also met with significant delays in reclaiming their bags.

The disruption began on Tuesday afternoon and was resolved by the end of the day, according to PA news agency. A spokesperson for British Airways commented: "We've apologised to those customers who were unable to travel with their luggage due to a temporary technical fault that was outside of our control."

The airline assured that the problem had been fixed and extra staff had been brought in to help return the luggage to customers promptly. Meanwhile, The Express reported that passengers were advised to "go home" by the airline staff. An issue with BA's baggage allocation system led to planes landing without cargo, causing extensive delays for passengers trying to locate their missing items into Wednesday.

READ MORE: This is what really happens to your luggage at the airport

Frustrated passengers lingered in the terminal, voicing their displeasure over the lack of updates, reports Bristol Live. One disgruntled passenger vented on social media about the ordeal: "Communication was so poor this evening, not great BA. I don't have much hope about getting my luggage any time soon."

Another frustrated traveller shared: "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 my bag."

British Airways has given assurances that flights from Terminal 5 will run smoothly today, following last night's technical issues. Heathrow Airport addressed the situation in a statement to The Mirror, saying: "We are supporting British Airways with a technical issue with their allocation system. We advise passengers to check with British Airways before travelling to the airport."

They further advised: "British Airways passengers in Terminal 5 may be impacted, and are advised to contact British Airways for assistance. No other airlines are impacted."

Reports indicate that of the 174 flights scheduled to leave, only 11 managed to depart on time, leading to a day of chaos and cancellations for those setting off on their summer holidays.

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