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London’s Heathrow Airport asks airlines to cancel 10% of flights amid baggage handling meltdown

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Baggage problems continue at Heathrow.

In the latest meltdown at a major UK airport, Heathrow has asked airlines flying from Terminals 2 and 3 to cancel 10 per cent of their schedules for Monday as the airport faces a baggage backlog.

It is unclear how many airlines will comply with the request, but thousands of passengers are expected to be affected.

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According to reports, baggage system failures on the weekend left hundreds of travellers waiting for around three hours to retrieve their bags.

Many passengers are understood to have exited the airport without their luggage as the wait was too long.

A Heathrow spokesperson says cancelling some flights should help reduce the disruption.

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“We apologise unreservedly for the disruption passengers have faced over the course of this weekend,” the spokesperson said.

“The technical issues affecting baggage systems have led to us making the decision to request airlines operating in Terminals 2 and 3 to consolidate their schedules on Monday 20th June.

“This will enable us to minimise ongoing impact and we ask that all passengers check with their airlines for the latest information.”

To add insult to injury, the cause of the cancellations is regarded as an “extraordinary circumstance” – meaning passengers are not entitled to cash compensation from their airline.

Elsewhere, low-cost airline EasyJet said today it was cutting thousands more flights this summer after London Gatwick and Amsterdam airports reduced capacity.

The airline said a tight labour market for crew, compounded by a 14-week wait for new staff security checks compared to around 10 weeks previously and limitations on European hires due to Brexit, had reduced its resilience further.

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