Airport News

Heathrow Airport’s new Terminal 2 will open one year today.

The €2.9 billion project is scheduled to be complete by November this year after which Heathrow will carry out six months of intensive testing.

The new terminal will open its doors on June 4, 2014, with the first aircraft, a United Airlines flight from Chicago, scheduled to land at 05:55.

Terminal 2 will eventually serve 20 million passengers a year and be home to 23 Star Alliance airlines, as well as Aer Lingus, Virgin Atlantic Little Red and germanwings carriers.

About 25,000 staff will be trained so they can work at T2, including airline staff, retailers, cleaners and delivery drivers.

The project includes the main Terminal 2 building, a 522-metre satellite pier (T2B), a 1,340 space car park and an energy centre and cooling station.

The new Terminal 2 has been designed and built with “passengers at its heart”.

John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow’s development director, said: “The new Terminal 2 has been designed around the needs of our passengers, to allow them to get to and from their flights as quickly as possible.

“Like Terminal 5, it will promise world class customer service and a warm welcome to Britain, which visitors expect from the UK’s hub airport.

“This next step in Heathrow's transformation will deliver a better journey for passengers, a more efficient and reliable infrastructure for airlines and additional jobs, trade and economic growth for the UK.”

The spacious, light and airy terminal will use the latest technology, offering passengers greater choice as they travel through the airport.

It will offer a variety of check-in options as well as fast and efficient bag drops.

Passengers will be able to choose from a selection of 52 shops and 17 bars and restaurants, which will represent the best of modern Britain.