NAP TIME: A traveller sleeping at Heathrow's Terminal 5, which has been plagued by logistical troubles since it opened. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

THE EU-US 'open skies' deal, which has just come into effect, is expected to cement Heathrow's status as one of the world's busiest airports.

But the London airport is still grappling with lost luggage and cancelled flights at its much vaunted new Terminal 5.

T5 opened to great fanfare last Thursday, but it has been blighted by logistical troubles ever since, with problems revolving around its luggage-retrieval system.

British Airways, which has sole use of the terminal, said it had scrapped 37 of the 331 flights that were planned to and from the facility yesterday.

The airline said it was still trying to sort through about 15,000 pieces of lost luggage.

It also warned that passenger delays and cancellations at the terminal were likely to continue this week.

'It all depends on the baggage system,' said a spokesman.

'The bag situation is the same as it was. There are 15,000 to be sorted through. We have put on extra staff to work through them all and repatriate them.'

Long-haul flights continued to operate as scheduled yesterday, but some domestic and European flights were ditched.

'We are endeavouring to do everything we can to get the operation back to normal,' the spokesman added.

The massive new terminal, which cost £4.3 billion (S$11.8 billion) to build, was meant to be a jewel in the crown of British airports operator BAA.

But so far, almost 250 flights have been cancelled because of computer glitches affecting the baggage-handling system.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE