Lost luggage couple ditch airline

A couple from County Durham have vowed never to fly with British Airways again after a four-day battle to be reunited with their luggage.

Elaine and David Carter flew into Newcastle Airport from Heathrow last Sunday after a break in the USA, but only one of their bags flew with them.

They said getting information from the airline or the airport was impossible.

British Airways said because of extra security, bags were not getting through checks and missing connecting flights.

The couple, from Coxhoe, said they tried repeatedly to call the airline but could not get through and had to make three, 50-mile round-trips to pick up the missing bags.

Two of their bags turned up on Monday and the final piece of luggage the following day.

Mr Carter said: "Our flight from Chicago was delayed which meant we missed our connection - we did not expect our bags to be there, but one was which we were delighted to see.

'Additional pressure'

"We expected the other bags to turn up fairly soon, but there was no way of communicating with the airport.

"Whenever we rang we couldn't get through and whenever we emailed we got no reply.

"Our main issue here is communication - we were given a phone number for BA and it was constantly engaged."

Newcastle Airport apologised and said it had had problems with customers getting through to its call centre.

Angela Cook, British Airways manager at Newcastle Airport, also apologised.

She said: "The current security restrictions on the amount and size of hand baggage that can be carried in the cabin, has put significant additional pressure on the baggage systems at Heathrow and other UK airports.

"This, in turn, has led to an increase in the number of bags, from all airlines, missing their flights.

"We are sorry that Mr and Mrs Carter felt that the level of customer service at Newcastle was not what they might have expected."