Heathrow Airport is still trying to clear a backlog of thousands of bags following last week's terror alerts.
Extra staff at Heathrow Airport are working to clear a backlog of thousands of bags after last week's terror alert.
Despite extra staff being brought in, the system is "under considerable strain", with about 23,000 bags handled a day, British Airways (BA) said.
Despite 100 volunteers and other staff being drafted in, British Airways (BA) passengers are waiting "at least a few days" for their luggage to turn up.
Extra security checks, following a failed car bomb attack in London, and flight delays because of heavy rain caused the backlog.
The airline blamed the alert at Terminal 4, recent bad weather and the terror attack in Scotland but unions said it was due to staff shortages.
Last week Terminal 4 was also closed after a suspect package was found.
BA said it hoped to have the backlog cleared by the end of the week.
BA said could be days before the owners were reunited with their baggage.
Stretched infrastructure
System failures
Passenger Sheila Astill, who arrived from South Africa one week ago to attend a wedding, has had to buy clothes and other essential items while a waiting for her luggage to arrive.
In an e-mail to BA chief executive Willie Walsh she said: "I need to know, now, where my baggage is and when you will return it to me.
"You, as chief executive, have the responsibility to do this - you cannot allow this appalling incompetence to continue."
The majority of delayed bags which are currently at Heathrow are transfer bags, where they have missed their onward flight BA spokesman
A statement from BA said the airport's already stretched infrastructure had struggled to cope with record numbers of bags, driven by the hand baggage restrictions introduced last August.
This, it said, had been put under more pressure by disruptions caused by the terrorist attack in Scotland and a security alert at Terminal 4 last week.
BA denied the problem was the result of a lack of manpower.
A spokesman said: "The majority of delayed bags which are currently at Heathrow are transfer bags, where they have missed their onward flight.
A spokesman said: "The majority of delayed bags which are currently at Heathrow are transfer bags, where they have missed their onward flight.
"We have been handling 23,000 transfer bags at Heathrow per day with processes and systems which were designed to handle around 18,000 per day."
"We have been handling 23,000 transfer bags at Heathrow per day with processes and systems which were designed to handle around 18,000 per day."
Holiday cancellations
In the past few years BA has been plagued by missing luggage problems.
In the past few years BA has been plagued by missing luggage problems.
In April 2007 Association of European Airlines (AEA) records revealed the company had the worst missing luggage record among all European airlines in 2006, losing on average 3,000 bags a day.
In April 2007 Association of European Airlines (AEA) records revealed the company had the worst missing luggage record among all European airlines in 2006, losing on average 3,000 bags a day.
During the last Christmas holiday period cancellations resulting from fog and a failure in baggage system, led to a massive backlog.
During the last Christmas holiday period cancellations resulting from fog and a failure in baggage system, led to a massive backlog.
In August 2006, terrorist alerts and subsequent delays resulted in a backlog of 40,000 and about 10,000 bags went missing.
In August 2006, terrorist alerts and subsequent delays resulted in a backlog of 40,000 and about 10,000 bags went missing.
In 2003, Air Transport Users Council placed BA at the top of the List of bags mishandled by European airlines.
In 2003, Air Transport Users Council placed BA at the top of the List of bags mishandled by European airlines.
Have you been affected by the baggage backlog? Send us your comments using the form below:
Have you been affected by the baggage backlog? Send us your comments using the form below:
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