British Airways travellers hit as 3,000 luggage items stuck in Heathrow

British Airways passengers found themselves without luggage upon reaching their holiday destinations due to a technical issue at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5, according to a "technical issue" that halted the loading of up to 3,000 luggage items onto aircraft. On Thursday, Heathrow and British Airways were working tirelessly to deliver the baggage items to travelers worldwide.

Heathrow officials confirmed that the issue had been resolved, with passengers affected only if they were departing from Terminal 5. The airport spokesperson apologized to passengers who experienced delays, stating that they were operating as normal and working closely with airlines to reunite them with their bags as quickly as possible.

British Airways also expressed regret for the inconvenience caused, noting that the issue was outside their control. Terminal 5, the busiest airport terminal in the UK, handles an average of 100,000 passengers arriving or departing daily. The airport has faced numerous technical challenges in recent years, including a year ago when a cyber attack led to flight cancellations and delays across several European airports, and a faulty software update that grounded flights globally in 2023.