March 29, 2024

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Covid-19 depletes Heathrow’s workforce, BA urges luggage check-in a day before take-off

2 min read

Heathrow Terminal 5 this morning. Airport workers reduction due to being pinged by NHS Covid-19 app, causes passengers glut

As air travel rebound, Heathrow airport has been in chaos due to shortage of manpower, the majority of who are on self-isolation due to precarious exposure which, after being pinged by the NHS Covid-19 app, makes self-isolation imperative.

The shortage of airport staff in turn is having an adverse effect on passengers facilitation by major airlines and most often, the passengers have been at the raw end with highly unpleasant experience before their flight.

Hence, the management of British Airways advises passengers to endeavour to check in their luggage a day before their flight so as to reduce the stress they would be subjected on the day of their trip.

The message B.A. sent to her passengers whose initial flights are from Terminal 5 at Heathrow urges passengers to be aware that: “the airport will be busy when you fly. To save time and avoid long queues, you can check in your bag the day before you fly from 16:00hrs – 21:00hrs at London Heathrow T5”. The text message added that “You can also check-in hand baggage free of charge.”

A media release from BA described the new arrangement as her “long-standing twilight check-in service. Another BA spokesman said: “We are pleased to offer our long-standing twilight check-in service for customers to enable them to start their journey as relaxed as possible.”

The British flagship air carrier, BA narration was, in essence, appealing to travellers whose flights are scheduled before 1 pm to consider dropping off their bags at Terminal 5 between the hours of 4 pm and 9 pm the night before their flight.

However, travellers are groaning and many have lamented the chaotic facilitation at terminal 5. They said that they could only sight two open security lanes at one point for thousands of passengers.

Travellers described today’s scenes, Monday, 19th July 2021, as a ‘total chaos’ as dozens of security staff failed to show for work because they were ‘pinged’ and told to self-isolate by the NHS app.

Moreover, large numbers of staff at Heathrow Airport have been forced to self-isolate after being pinged by the NHS Covid-19 app.

The airport management apologised for the inconvenience and said more staff had been “activated” to help passengers.

Just a little over a week ago, a total of 520,194 alerts were sent to users of the NHS Covid-19 app in England. When someone gets pinged by the app, it is to tell them that they’ve come into close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus and should therefore isolate.

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