Commons report slams BA and BAA for 'serious failings' and 'hoping for the best'

The disastrous opening of Heathrow airport's Terminal 5 was a 鈥渘ational embarrassment鈥� and showed 鈥渟erious failings鈥� from British Airways and airport operator BAA.

That is the conclusion of the House of Commons transport committee, which today publishes a report into the opening of the 拢4.3bn terminal in March.

The MPs said that the problems, which included cancelled flights and lost baggage, were the result of bad planning and 鈥渋nsufficient communication鈥� between the companies in charge.

Committee chairwoman Louise Ellman said: 鈥淲hat should have been an occasion of national pride was in fact an occasion of national embarrassment.鈥�

She added: 鈥淲e were struck by how much 'hoping for the best' BAA had engaged in prior to the opening of T5.鈥�

Poor training of staff and testing of systems by British Airways are also criticised for the failures, which led to more than 23,000 bags having to be manually sorted.

鈥淲e acknowledge the inevitability of 'teething problems' but deeply regret that so many were allowed to bring the operation of Heathrow's newest terminal to a halt,鈥� the report says.

BAA bosses Sir Nigel Rudd and Colin Matthews also came under personal attack for being 鈥渦nhelpful and ill prepared鈥� when they appeared before the committee.

Both companies have apologised for the fiasco and BAA said it had noted the report's findings.

Meanwhile, a BA spokesman said: 鈥淭5's opening is history. Its present is a great success. We are resolutely committed to keeping it so.鈥�

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