Airport News
Heathrow Airport has been awarded the title of ‘best arrivals experience’ at this year’s Future Travel Experience Awards thanks to the welcome it gave to visitors during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The airport was praised for the 1,000 volunteers it employed who provided assistance as well as special activities introduced over the summer, including:
- Appearances by the iconic Beefeaters, London 2012 mascots and Queen’s Guards in each terminal
- Installation of 12m wide Olympic Rings to welcome passengers in Terminal 5 arrivals
- Performances by the London Philharmonic and Salvation Army Brass Band
- The launch of Usain Bolt’s wax figure in Terminal 5 courtesy of Madame Tussauds
- An exclusive performance of Vangelis’ Chariots of Fire on a grand piano by Myleene Klass
- Table tennis tables brought in for passengers to try their hand at the Olympic sport
- Olympic art exhibitions held in Terminal 5’s expo
- Television screens installed across the terminal to ensure that passengers didn’t miss a minute of the action
BAA Chief Executive, Colin Matthews, said, “This has been a fantastic Games for London and at Heathrow we are proud to have played our part as the host airport. I’d like to thank all our staff and the volunteers that have been working with us during this period. The focus is now on the London 2012 legacy and many of the improvements made at Heathrow will continue to benefit all our passengers for years to come.”

The Future Travel Experience Awards were held in Vancouver on Friday 7 September 2012.
Now in its second year, the awards celebrate outstanding efforts by organisations which have gone the extra mile to improve the passenger experience.
