Vote of no confidence for T5 over baggage handling
Over two thirds of travellers do not believe Terminal 5 will end the baggage chaos at London Heathrow, according to a survey.
The poll of 1,333 people during January and February, by baggage ID service i-TRAK, found 69% said they did not expect the opening of T 5 to improve baggage handling this summer.
Of these, 38% said they did not expect to see changes this year, and 31% said they did not expect to see improvements at all.
One in five of the respondents had lost an item of luggage at an airport and 84% of those questioned said that the recent baggage chaos at UK airports had made no difference to the way they identified their luggage.
“While Terminal 5 is being heralded as the solution to many air travel problems, the reality of combining two very differently operating terminals will no doubt generate major teething problems, especially where baggage movements are concerned,†said Adam Dalby, managing director, i-TRAK.
“The public is clearly very pessimistic about seeing improvements to baggage handling, especially with so many having been personally affected in the past. Lost luggage is an unfortunate by-product of air travel, however passengers should realise that they are part of the solution, rather than looking to the airlines to take sole responsibility for ensuring their luggage arrives.â€
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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