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A newly-engaged couple has slammed British Airways and Heathrow Airport after their luggage was allegedly lost, including Christmas gifts for their family and friends.
Wesley Ford, 29, and Emma Anstice, 26, had spent five days celebrating their engagement in New York.
While the trip itself was problem-free, was the flight back on Monday, December 20, and the subsequent airport experience they reportedly experienced on their return has left the loved-up couple “absolutely gutted”.
Mr Ford, who works in housing and runs the popular Manchester United-themed Instagram account Unitedcaptured, said: "It was supposed to be our most memorable trip ever following our engagement, but unfortunately this was not the case because of British Airways.
"To start with, we were two hours late getting out of Newark Airport, which at the time we dealt with, but the overall experience of that flight was awful.
"The service from the cabin crew was worse than a budget airline, and as soon as we got to Heathrow the biggest upset would be caused."
Having paid almost £500 per person for return flights, the couple said the plane had to find a temporary spot due to its late departure as the normal landing area was full.
They then said they travelled by bus from wherever the plane landed – which was unclear for passengers – to Terminal 5, where they were hoping to collect their luggage.
However, things went from bad to worse for the pair, as four different flights from four different destinations were all reportedly being unloaded at the same time – onto one conveyor belt.
This allegedly left thousands of passengers all crammed into a small space, with no Covid-19 rules being followed, and reportedly, no members of staff attempting to enforce them, either.
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Mr Ford added: "There was no social distancing, people were not even wearing masks – it was awful.
"Not a single employee was trying to help.
"We waited 45 minutes to be told that Newark baggage had been completed, but this was not the case as there were so many people, including my fiancée, still without luggage.
"Inside her case was Christmas gifts for our family, which were pretty costly, along with her medication, which is required daily.
"I had to walk a fair way to locate a help desk which was inundated with people having similar issues. There were thousands of bags just left there, and they were letting people inspect the bags themselves.
"Nobody was being watched by security – it was a disgrace."
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Having finally spoken to someone on the help desk, and allegedly receiving no apology once there, he claims to have been made to feel like "I was the problem".
Mr Ford was given a form to fill in, and the person on the desk said the baggage would be sent to them by courier but had "no idea" where it was at the time. It is also said that the help desk employee admitted that the luggage's last-scanned location was actually Newark Airport.
The engaged pair filed a complaint with British Airways after exiting the plane on December 20.
The couple then made the two-hour drive back to Newport, South Wales. Their baggage has reportedly been found but they are yet to be reunited with it.
Mr Ford added: "The silence is loud from BA, as no one seems to want to deal with it.
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"The whole experience with BA has been horrific, from start to finish.
"It is not acceptable and they shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it."
Heathrow declined to comment on the overcrowded baggage area.
A British Airways spokesperson said: "We've apologised to customers who had their baggage delayed due to operational constraints earlier this week.
"Our teams have worked extremely hard to reunite customers with their baggage as quickly as possible, and Wesley and Emma's bags should be with them shortly."
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