As a BA employee at the "back end",this whole episode sucks,but it just doesn't surprise either me or my colleages as this has been a disaster waiting to happen! The baggage handlers identified a few system glitches during the trials but as usual with BA management thier concerns were ignored,(we get paid to manage...you get paid to do as we say!!!), also it appears that only a week or so ago,a software upgrade was made to the baggage system,but no further trial deemed necessary to see if it worked ok.
From what we have heard today, the majority of the problems have arisen from something called "stack and shelve".....basically the system identifies transfer baggage and if the onward flight is over a certain time period away from the arrival one,then the baggage is sent to a "holding" area where it is stored until the computer says it is required for the onward flight!!
The trouble with this today has apparently centered around the computer totally forgetting everything it put into the holding area,so if anything moved from here,it was done manually.
God only knows what it's going to be like when longhaul start to move in en- masse over the coming days.....perhaps WW will have to get his own slot on news 24.........Maybe his "roumoured" move to become the CEO of one of the USAs big 3 will happen sooner than later!!