Dead man's bags lost in T5 chaos

A backlog of up to 28,000 bags formed after problems at T5

The luggage of a passenger who died on a British Airways flight was among items lost during Terminal 5 baggage problems, BA has confirmed.

The man collapsed and died on a flight from Hong Kong to Heathrow airport on 2 April. His luggage is among thousands of unreturned bags at the new T5.

His son said: "To lose the luggage of a dead person is unforgivable."

A BA spokesman said they were doing their "utmost" to return the man's baggage to his family.

Writing on pilot and cabin crew website Pprune, the man's son - an ex-BA employee - said his father collapsed after coming out of the toilet on flight BA26.

"If we could have his bags back (including hand baggage), that would be nice," he said. "I have no energy left to get angry about this."

'Very distressed'

Problems with the baggage system at T5 meant hundreds of flights had to be cancelled after it opened on 27 March, and a backlog of up to 28,000 bags formed.

Many items of luggage have been sent to Milan, Italy, and Memphis in the US to be sorted.

A BA spokesman confirmed that the man died during the 2 April flight.

"The cabin crew did everything they could for him and were very distressed following the incident," he said.

"We have been in constant touch with his family and have been doing our utmost to return his baggage to them."

The man's son asked any crew members to tell him exactly what happened at the time of his father's death.

"I'm certain that everything possible was done for him and he was left for the remainder of the flight in dignity," he said.

"I just want to know if he had any last words and if he was in pain."