NEW YORK, March 27, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- More than 40,000 customers will pass through British Airways' exclusive new home at London Heathrow Terminal 5 on its first day of business today.
The new GBP 4.3 billion terminal will play host to 380 flights during the day (190 departures and 190 arrivals). These will be split into 350 shorthaul and domestic flights and a further 30 longhaul flights.
The first flight to land at Terminal 5 at 0450 will be BA026 from Hong Kong, carrying 283 passengers. The Boeing 747 is captained by Lynn Barton, who became British Airways' first female pilot when she joined the airline in 1987.
The first flight to depart will be BA302 to Paris Charles de Gaulle at 0620, with around 150 passengers on board. The Airbus A321 aircraft will be captained by John Steven.
Customers using Terminal 5, either on arriving or departing services, will receive a free gift as part of the celebrations. The gifts will depend on the flight destination but could include leather T5 luggage tags, T5 key rings, T5 commemorative certificates or T5 commemorative postcards.
Once onboard all customers will receive T5 chocolates during their flight, and a number of flights will also have special catering onboard to celebrate the terminal's opening.
The new terminal, which can handle up to 30 million customers a year, is spacious, light and airy and will help to transform the customer experience at Heathrow. It will offer customers a simple and calm experience through online check-in and fast bag drop facilities, with the benefit of state-of-the-art security and baggage facilities.
Willie Walsh, British Airways chief executive, said: "This is an historic day for British Airways and for UK aviation. Everyone involved in the project should be extremely proud of their achievements in creating this fantastic facility.
"The new terminal gives British Airways a great opportunity to offer the highest levels of service and put Heathrow back on the global travel map.
"I know that our customers will love the space, comfort and convenience that Terminal 5 offers and I believe that people can look forward to a much calmer and more enjoyable way of travelling in the months ahead."
In the final few hours before opening British Airways had to move more than 1,000 pieces of equipment and aircraft from their old homes in Terminal 1 and Terminal 4 into the correct position at Terminal 5.
The convoy moving up to Terminal 5 included:
27 shorthaul aircraft
360 baggage trailers (help to move bags from baggage hall to aircraft side)
95 baggage tugs (pull the baggage trailers from baggage hall to aircraft side)
106 baggage elevators and conveyors (help to load bags from aircraft side into the hold)
240 cargo containers
122 cars and vans
16 ground power units
22 sets of aircraft steps
10 toilet servicing units
The convoy was moved by a team of 250 staff especially trained for the overnight move.
Such a time-limited move of this magnitude has never taken place before at any UK airport, let alone at the country's global hub.
A second phase of British Airways longhaul flights move into Terminal 5 from Terminal 4 on April 30, 2008. This move will take the total number of flights using Terminal 5 each day to more than 500.
TERMINAL 5 FACTS
Cost GBP 4.3bn
Construction Sept 2002 - Mar 2008
No. of passengers annually 30 million
Phase 1 - opening 2008 Terminal 5A and B
50 aircraft stands (total)
Phase 2 - opening 2010 Terminal 5C
60 aircraft stands (total)
Terminal 5A dimensions 396m long x 176m wide x 40m high
Levels above ground 4
Terminal 5B dimensions 442m long x 52m wide x 19.5m high
Levels above ground 3
Multi-storey car park 3,800 spaces
Sofitel London Heathrow Hotel 605 rooms (opens June)
Rail links Heathrow Express
London Underground
Piccadilly Line
Check-in self service kiosks 96
Check-in fast bag drops over 90
Check-in standard desks 54
Security zones 2 (north and south)
Security lanes 20
Baggage reclaim belts 11
Length of bag conveyers 17 km
No of bags processed per hour 12,000
Number of lifts 192
Number of escalators 105
Number of seats 9,140
(excluding catering outlets)
Number of toilet blocks 112
Number of toilets 800
Number of baby change facilities 32
Children's play areas 3 (for toddlers to 7 year olds)
Number of retail facilities 112 (including 25 food and
drink outlets)
Percentage of space given to retail Around 5.5 %
The British Airways logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1862