Heathrow's Terminal 5 loses 900 bags a day

(11 July 2008)

Passengers changing planes at Heathrow's Terminal 5 face a one in 12 chance of losing their luggage, a report revealed on Wednesday.

Over 900 bags are lost daily at the troubled building, with passengers who touch down at Heathrow only to catch a further flight the most likely to suffer.

Trade union officials at the airport blamed the state-of-the-art automated baggage handling system still used at Terminal 5 for the problems.

The baggage handling system failed on the opening day of Terminal 5 in March, causing over 500 flights to be cancelled at a cost of £16 million to British Airways.