T5 luggage mountain sent to Milan

Thousands of people affected by the chaos at Heathrow's Terminal 5 have been told their luggage is being sent to Italy.

The cases are being taken there by British Airways to try to help clear the backlog of 19,000 bags.

The airline has more than 400 volunteers working to deal with the baggage mountain and luggage is being sent to a courier firm in Milan where it will be sorted and either driven or flown to owners.

BA bosses said it is quicker for bags with European mainland addresses to go to the city for sorting.

A BA spokesman said: "Delayed bags must undergo enhanced levels of security screening.

"Much of this process must be done manually rather than using the automated baggage systems."

He added: "Although the majority of delayed bags will be sorted and reflighted at Heathrow, we can reunite larger numbers of bags with their owners more quickly.

"It is quicker for bags with European mainland addresses to go to Milan for sorting and onward transport than waiting for space to appear on flights leaving Heathrow."

She said it was standard practice for BA to use the Milan-based courier firm when coping with a backlog.

The same procedure was used last year when baggage problems arose.

T5 has been plagued with problems since it opened last Thursday.

BA continues to cancel flights with a further 50 axed on Tuesday although the airline says fewer will be affected today and 92 per cent will operate on Thursday.

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