Caos en la T5 de Heathrow

Heathrow Terminal 5 chaos

Flight cancellations at the new Terminal 5 of London's Heathrow airport look set to continue for several days. The chaos is due to problems with the baggage handling system. About 15,000 bags are stranded across all terminals.

This report from Mark Worthington:

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The fourth day of its short life and yet again Terminal five at London's Heathrow airport is proving an embarrassment. British Airways cancelled thirty-seven short-haul flights on Sunday to ease the strain on the baggage system.

Behind the scenes, four hundred volunteers were working to clear a huge backlog. Fifteen thousand bags, mostly belonging to transit passengers, are piling up all over the airport. Reuniting them with their owners could cost millions of pounds and even more if those passengers take their business elsewhere.

Further cancellations are planned for Monday and Tuesday. British Airways says it still hopes to move much of its long-haul operation to the new terminal at the end of April but that is being kept under review and, all the time, British Airways' international reputation is suffering.

Mark Worthington, BBC News, Heathrow airport

 Listen to the words

is proving an embarrassment
está resultando vergonzoso

short-haul flights
vuelos cortos

to ease the strain
para reducir la presión

Behind the scenes
Significa "entre bastidores" (por ejemplo, 400 voluntarios trabajan detrás de las escenas para procesar las valijas)

volunteers
voluntarios

to clear a huge backlog
procesar la enorme cantidad de trabajo pendiente

transit passengers
pasajeros en tránsito

are piling up
(las valijas) se están acumulando

is being kept under review
todavía queda por decidirse

international reputation
reputación internacional

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