A WORCESTERSHIRE aeroplane passenger has described the scene of Terminal 3 at Heathrow Airport as a “scene from a disaster movie”.

Adam Kent said baggage reclaim “looked like a scene from a disaster movie” after arriving at Terminal 3 from Orlando, Florida.

He said there was “lost luggage everywhere, stacked between baggage belts, everyone stepping over it and no one doing anything about it.”

Mr Kent, aged 59, added: “Being brutally honest, it looks like a serious health and safety issue.

“No one was visible on the ground to explain the carnage or sort out the mess, it seems like lots of luggage has not arrived with passengers and just been dumped.”

Mr Kent said there was “appalling customer service” at the airport, adding: “Staff were nowhere to be seen, everyone was pretty shocked.

“The left and abandoned luggage was left unsecured and could easily be stolen… No duty of care shown to passengers’ possessions.

“People were climbing over the luggage left to claim their baggage and it was so hard to navigate through the terminal.”

Shortages of staff to handle baggage and carry out security checks such as X-rays are fuelling long queues and delays at UK airports.

The government has ordered the vetting centre to prioritise checks for airports so new recruits can help plug the gaps quicker.

The Department of Transport (DfT) said counter-terrorist checks for aviation workers are now being processed on average in under 10 days – half March’s time.

Accreditation checks are also being sped up to be completed within five days on average, according to the department.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who has devised a 22-point plan to help limit the disruption, welcomed the latest statistics.

“People have made huge sacrifices during the pandemic and deserve their flights to run on time, without complications and without being cancelled last minute,” he said.