Faulty baggage system causes Heathrow chaos
21 February 2008The importance of travel insurance was highlighted at Heathrow yesterday (February 20th) when thousands of passengers were delayed after a problem with the airport's baggage system computer.
Airport operator BAA confirmed that there was an ongoing problem with software which reduced the performance of the baggage system at Terminal Four.
Speaking on February 20th, a spokesperson warned: "Whilst every effort is being made to rectify the problem overnight and contingency plans have been put in place, there is a risk that operations out of Terminal Four may be affected tomorrow."
Passengers were advised to check the situation with their airline and to consider minimising the amount of luggage they plan to check in.
Travellers planning to fly with British Airways, the main carrier at Terminal Four, were the worst affected by the problems, with many left waiting outside the terminal to see if their flights would be cancelled.
The incident followed the release of research by the Association of European Airlines showing that Heathrow suffered more delays than any other major European airport in 2007.
British Airways was found to be the second worst airline for baggage hold-ups last year, with 26.5 bags delayed for every 1,000 passengers.