Choppy weather troubles Heathrow's new Terminal 5

LONDON, Saturday, AP -- The weekend forecast for Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5: choppy, unsettled and likely delays. The new terminal's opening has become a full-scale public relations disaster for British Airways, with long lines at the airport yesterday and even some scuffles breaking out between angry and exhausted passengers.

BA said 27 round-trip short haul flights in and out of the terminal would be cancelled today -- slightly less than the 36 roundtrip short haul flights cancelled Friday. The 15 scheduled long haul flights yesterday operated as expected, officials said. The airline said it was too soon to say how Sunday's operations would be affected.

Travellers have been advised to check the BA Web site before going to the airport, and passengers booked on flights due to leave from, arrive to or pass through Terminal 5 between now until 10 a.m. (1000GMT) Monday morning can rebook their flights without charge.

Airline officials are trying to work out several kinks, including in the much-lauded baggage collection system, which broke down within hours of the terminal's opening Thursday morning, triggering a slew of cancellations. BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh said he accepted responsibility for problems, but insisted he would not resign and that the situation would improve within days.

''I'm not going anywhere,'' Walsh said. ''I'm determined to make this work.'' ''I would expect some disruption tomorrow, but I think it will get better every day as we become accustomed to the building and the quirks of the systems,'' he said. Meanwhile, he said, the airline is reviewing plans to shift more of its operations to Terminal 5 at the end of April.

Walsh did not provide specifics of the system breakdowns that bedeviled travellers Thursday and Friday, but said a string of problems _ including parking difficulties and computer malfunctions _ combined to over stress the system despite months of preparation.

''Some of the problems we anticipated, and some of the problems I don't believe we could have anticipated,'' he said. ''We clearly made mistakes.'' The fouled startup of the 4.3 billion pound (US$8.6 billion, euro5.5. billion) showpiece provoked a flood of anger from leading British politicians, who said the country's reputation was tarnished by the malfunctions at Terminal 5.

Conservative Party leader David Cameron said the events cast doubt on the wisdom of controversial plans for future expansion of Heathrow. ''The scenes yesterday were completely dreadful,'' he said. ''You feel for anyone there. It was humiliating to see that happening.''

David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said the breakdown sent ''a depressing message'' that would hurt Britain's reputation with people in business throughout the world.

''This is a public relations disaster at a time when London and the UK are positioning themselves as global players,'' he said. ''We can only hope that this will provide a wake-up call as we gear ourselves up to host the Olympics in 2012.''

British Airways' stock price, meanwhile, sank 2.93 percent Friday to close at 240 pence (US$4.80, euro3.03) on the London Stock Exchange. BA officials and airport operator BAA PLC had hoped for a bonanza of positive publicity with the opening of the new terminal, with its cutting edge design, high quality materials, and upscale shopping and dining options. Instead they have been buffeted by images of passengers suffering at the terminal.

''It is diabolical,'' said Tony Pascoe, 35, who had hoped to accompany his mother to Vienna on her first-ever flight yesterday. They could not get on their plane. ''I am a frequent traveler, and this is the worst experience ever.'' Incoming passengers were affected as well, with many waiting up to two hours for their luggage.

Anne Cecilie Kjelling, on a two-day business trip, said she was angry that BA officials provided no information about the baggage delay and no seats for the stranded.

''They had no idea where anything was,'' said Kjelling, who had arrived on a flight from Oslo, Norway. ''They did bring us some water after we had been waiting for an hour. They apologized over the loudspeaker, but the guy I spoke to said he didn't know what was happening.''