Heathrow Airport
(Picture: REUTERS)Passengers have complained about a rancid smell in Heathrow Airport they claim is from a major build-up of baggage.
Up to 30 flights and at least 5,000 passengers were impacted last week after the airport asked airlines to cut 10 per cent of their services from terminals two and three due to “technical issues” with the transport hub’s luggage system.
The glitch has caused a major build-up of baggage, resulting in huge piles of cases yet to be collected.
@HeathrowAirport baggage here since the 18th of June, it’s literally the 28th. bags starting to stink, staff lying to our faces it’s literally a mess sort it out pic.twitter.com/Svs6qonwUG
— fat free froosh (@ElliotDay1) June 27, 2022
Travellers are pleading with airport chiefs to remove the unclaimed luggage with some adding it “literally smells like poo”.
One person wrote on Twitter: “Baggage here since June 18, it is literally 28th, bags starting to stink…it’s literally a mess, sort it out.”
Heathrow has been contacted for comment.
Airlines have 21 days to find and deliver delayed luggage to their customers.
If the delay is the airline’s fault, customers can claim compensation, but the chaos that has resulted in what witnesses have called "a carpet of baggage" with suitcases piling up, has been cited as a technical glitch.
This would be considered an extraordinary circumstance, meaning no compensation is due.
Heathrow said it expects 54.4 million passengers to travel through its terminals, up by nearly 9 million on the guidance it gave in December.
This is just over two thirds (67 per cent) of levels seen before the pandemic struck.
It comes as the boss of budget airline Ryanair has warned that flight delays and cancellations will continue “right throughout the summer” as airports suffer amid staff shortages.
Michael O’Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, said passengers should brace for a “less than satisfactory experience”, with flight delays to last across the peak season.
He told Sky News this was “deeply regrettable”.
He said: “This problem is going to continue particularly at airports like Gatwick and Heathrow right throughout the summer.
“It will be worse at weekends and better during the week.”
He said 99 per cent of Ryanair flights are getting away and that the experience was so far better at its Stansted base than other UK airports, but admitted it will be a “struggle through the summer”.
Mr O’Leary blamed the problems on shortages of airport staff across air traffic control, baggage handling and security.
