New Heathrow boss sorry for bags fiasco

 
Delays: A backlog of bags at Heathrow

The new boss of Heathrow was today forced to apologise for the “unfortunate” meltdown of its baggage handling system at Terminal 5 on his first day in the job.

Thousands of passengers have taken off from the airport on BAflights without their luggage following a major technical glitch that first hit last Thursday.

John Holland-Kaye, the airport’s new chief executive, said: “We did have issues last week about bags missing their flights; it’s taken us longer to get bags back to our passengers than it should have done.

“We’d like to apologise to any passengers that have been affected. We’re doing our best; we’re working very hard with British Airways to get bags back to people as quickly as we can.”

Mr Holland-Kaye, Heathrow’s former development director, told BBC Breakfast he had ordered a review into the fiasco which left baggage handlers desperately trying to keep up with flight schedules after the usual automated conveyor belt system had to be abandoned. It came just days after The Queen officially opened Heathrow’s rebuilt £2.5 billion Terminal 2.

He added: “The real reputation of Heathrow is built over a long period of time; we are rated by passengers as one of the best airports in Europe.

“We’ve still got some way to go before we are the best airport in the world’

Mr Holland-Kaye also insisted he was confident of gaining government backing to build a third runway. He said of the £17 billion runway which would open in 2025: “I think it is absolutely deliverable.”

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