News: The Queen opens new Heathrow terminal
Flights > News > # 1725 (17/03/2008)
The Queen officially opened Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 on Friday (March 14), describing it as "a 21st Century gateway to Britain".
The £4.3bn terminal, set to start operating on 27 March, will be used exclusively by British Airways.
The Queen spoke of the "bright, airy space and clean, efficient layout", as she declared the terminal ready for business.
"It gives me great pleasure to open Terminal 5 - this 21st Century gateway to Britain and, to us, the wider world," she said.
Built on the site of a former sewage works at the western end of the existing airport, Terminal 5 has been designed by 2006 Stirling Prize winners Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners.
The complex includes 50 new aircraft stands, which will rise to 60 by 2010, two satellite buildings, one of which is still to be completed, rail links to London Underground and the Heathrow Express, and a new multi-storey car park.
The official opening is of the project's Phase 1, including Terminals 5A and 5B. Phase 2, which adds Terminal 5C, is set to open in 2010.
Heathrow operator BAA says the new terminal will simplify the process of checking in for flights with online check-in, fast baggage dropping facilities and state-of-the-art baggage handling.
The first passengers will start using Terminal 5 in a fortnight when they step off a BA flight from Hong Kong. British Airways will operate all international flights and services to and from Manchester, Newcastle, Belfast and Scotland from Terminal 5.
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