Walsh forced to apologise for BA's Heathrow debacle

BRITAIN: Passengers endured another day of travel misery at Heathrow's new £4.3 billion Terminal 5 (T5) as British Airways axed flights for the second day running.

Admitting his airline had "got things wrong" after Thursday's disastrous opening day at the new facility, British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh warned of further flight cancellations yesterday.

Insisting that he would not be resigning, Mr Walsh said the planned move of more of BA's Heathrow operations to the new terminal at the end of April was "under review".

Arguments broke out among passengers in long, early-morning queues yesterday as BA struggled to recover from Thursday's chaos, which had seen the airline cancel 34 return flights and suspend checked-in luggage operations.

BA had to axe 36 return flights yesterday - all short-haul - but at least passengers on flights that did leave were able to check in hold luggage.

There were continuing problems with staff having difficulties getting through security.

The Conservatives called for an inquiry into the "chaos and confusion", while the British Chambers of Commerce said T5 was a "PR disaster for London and the UK".

The GMB union asked the public not to take out their frustrations on BA staff who were "doing their best to cope with what looks like technical difficulties".

Vanderlande Industries, who helped design and supply the baggage system, would make no comment yesterday, referring callers to British Airways or Heathrow operator BAA. Alstec, the company handling the baggage, also refused to comment.

The worst of the disruption came early yesterday with some passengers missing flights after claiming there were not enough desks open, or that they were given wrong directions to the departure hall.

Tony Pascoe (35), from Witney, Oxfordshire, arrived just after 4am with his mother Ann for a holiday to Vienna - her first flight.

He said: "None of the desks were open and we were told to stand in a queue. After standing there for God knows how long they opened one, and people who had just walked into the terminal began jumping in. It was chaotic.

"Everyone who had been queuing was annoyed and a lot of jostling and arguing started. Then the desk just crashed . . . Our flight was due to leave at 6.45am so I stood in one queue and my mum in another. Eventually they told us we weren't going to get on."

Having praised the operation at the new terminal in its opening hours yesterday, Mr Walsh was forced to conduct a series of damage-limitation interviews at T5 yesterday.

He said: "I am not pointing the finger at BAA. Both British Airways and BAA made mistakes, but I am taking responsibility for the mistakes we made. If people want someone to point the finger at then they can point it at me. I didn't get any pleasure out of what happened yesterday.

"Yesterday was definitely not British Airways' finest hour. We disappointed many people and I apologise sincerely. I take responsibility for what happened. The buck stops with me." -

© 2008 PA

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times