BA news • February 2015
As Heathrow winds down operations in Terminal 1 prior to it closing, it means that from October this year, British Airways will operate only from Terminal 3 and Terminal 5. Here’s what you need to know…
Since the acquisition of bmi, BA has been operating from three terminals – T1, T3 and the airline’s exclusive and award-winning home, T5. But the opening of T2: The Queen’s Terminal last year has started a host of airline moves that will enable Heathrow to close T1 and BA to consolidate into two terminals. While there will be some impact until the works are complete, it is ultimately good news, as there is a more up-to-date lounge in T3 and the check-in area will be adjacent to airline partners.
Flights to Belfast and Dublin moved from T1 to T5 last year, using new gates that can handle both domestic and international arrivals. It’s better news still at T3, with more than 95 per cent of BA’s services using jetties as opposed to coaching, so that customers no longer need to brave the elements while boarding. Plus it offers quicker disembarkation for those on tight connections.
From October, T3 will run a mix of both short- and long-haul flying. Deciding which long-haul routes to move was a complex balance between operational and commercial needs, as BA’s Schedule Planning Manager, David Smith, explains. “The reason why some long-haul will go to T3 is to smooth out some of the busy peaks at T5,” he says. “Where possible, you don’t want to force routes with big connecting flows to move.” Services to Miami, Denver, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Cape Town, Accra and Nairobi will operate out of T3 from October. And in exciting news for Miami customers, the route will be served by the Airbus A380 ‘super jumbo’ for the winter season.
By the summer, BA will be the sole and final tenant in T1, and the last routes will move out in June. The short-haul services to Hanover, Luxembourg, Lyon, Marseilles and Bilbao will head to T3, while the mid-haul routes to Amman, Baku, Beirut and Cairo will move to T5.
Being co-located with BA’s joint business partners (American Airlines, Iberia, JAL and Finnair) and other oneworld partners in T3 makes it a collegiate community, but it means increased connectivity between it and T5 is vital. A temporary Flight Connections Centre will open in T3, which will be in place for two summer seasons, before a permanent facility opens in two years’ time. There will also be a new unaccompanied minors’ lounge, and eligible customers will be invited to use the American Airlines arrivals lounge.
The other main bit of work will see the baggage system link with T5 via a tunnel to BA’s check-in area at T3. As a result, BA’s check-in area will move temporarily before settling into a permanent home from September. “It’s a bit of a jigsaw puzzle,” says Senior Programme Manager David Roberts. “There are a lot of moving parts between us, Heathrow and the other carriers. It is only when all that is done that we can start the work on how our new home at T3 will look.”
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