Terminal 5 Heathrow Opens March 08
Oct 5th, 2007, 06:52 AM
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Terminal 5 Heathrow Opens March 08
Terminal 5, a new era for air travel
The Latest British Airways e-mail to Executive Club members says:
"The countdown continues to the grand opening of British Airways-dedicated London Heathrow Terminal 5 in March. With 90% of British Airways flights using Terminal 5, you can be sure of a seamless travel experience. From the spacious departure area for all domestic and international flights through the Bag Drops to the single security area, everything has been designed to make travel easier, faster and more pleasant.
Getting there is a breeze, with direct access by London Underground, Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect and by road. And once there, you'll be able to choose from delicious dining options, including a Gordon Ramsay 200-seat restaurant. The shopping is impressive — Harrods, Ted Baker, and Mulberry, to name just a few of the luxury brands for you to peruse. It's all coming soon at Terminal 5."
Q- Wonder if the Gordon Ramsay restaurant will be booked up for months?
Can Heathrow really "make travel easier, faster and more pleasant" but then i guess that wouldn't take very much.
The Latest British Airways e-mail to Executive Club members says:
"The countdown continues to the grand opening of British Airways-dedicated London Heathrow Terminal 5 in March. With 90% of British Airways flights using Terminal 5, you can be sure of a seamless travel experience. From the spacious departure area for all domestic and international flights through the Bag Drops to the single security area, everything has been designed to make travel easier, faster and more pleasant.
Getting there is a breeze, with direct access by London Underground, Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect and by road. And once there, you'll be able to choose from delicious dining options, including a Gordon Ramsay 200-seat restaurant. The shopping is impressive — Harrods, Ted Baker, and Mulberry, to name just a few of the luxury brands for you to peruse. It's all coming soon at Terminal 5."
Q- Wonder if the Gordon Ramsay restaurant will be booked up for months?
Can Heathrow really "make travel easier, faster and more pleasant" but then i guess that wouldn't take very much.
Oct 5th, 2007, 08:46 AM
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How very unBritish - and fate-tempting.
When BA moved to the then "new" T4 in the mid-80s, the first month there was chaos. Ditto the baggage and cargo during the first couple of months at Chek Lap Kok. And as I understand it, Madrid's T4 hasn't exactly been the blissful customer experience its earlier propaganda promised.
You read it here first. Heathrow T5 will start off with a blaze of malfunctioning carousels and crashing IT systems. All because, now BA's run by a foreigner and BAA's owned by foreigners, they've forgotten the first rule of successful British organisations: under-promise, over-deliver.
They're over-promising. Underdelivery will follow as inevitably as an England defeat follows an Australian (or on Monday, even a bloody Sri Lankan) innings.
When BA moved to the then "new" T4 in the mid-80s, the first month there was chaos. Ditto the baggage and cargo during the first couple of months at Chek Lap Kok. And as I understand it, Madrid's T4 hasn't exactly been the blissful customer experience its earlier propaganda promised.
You read it here first. Heathrow T5 will start off with a blaze of malfunctioning carousels and crashing IT systems. All because, now BA's run by a foreigner and BAA's owned by foreigners, they've forgotten the first rule of successful British organisations: under-promise, over-deliver.
They're over-promising. Underdelivery will follow as inevitably as an England defeat follows an Australian (or on Monday, even a bloody Sri Lankan) innings.
Oct 5th, 2007, 08:54 AM
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Well it seems ther real winners will be whoever takes over Terminal 4 - if BA is moving 90% flights to Terminal 5.
Bet it won't be the likes of any competitor carriers on trans-Atlantic routes as terminal 3, one of the worst in terms of comfort and congestion i've been, does little to help them out so leave them there.
I suspose terminal 4 will be given over to Intra-european flights, etc.
Bet it won't be the likes of any competitor carriers on trans-Atlantic routes as terminal 3, one of the worst in terms of comfort and congestion i've been, does little to help them out so leave them there.
I suspose terminal 4 will be given over to Intra-european flights, etc.
Oct 5th, 2007, 08:57 AM
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I know all Skyteam airlines will organize at T4, once BA moves out.
CO executives have said that they'll start IAH-LHR flight on 3/29 to T4, 5 days after BA moves. It'll be quite a mess for a while, they concede.
CO executives have said that they'll start IAH-LHR flight on 3/29 to T4, 5 days after BA moves. It'll be quite a mess for a while, they concede.
Oct 5th, 2007, 09:06 AM
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There's a two-stage plan after March.
In theory, the rest of Oneworld, and the other 10% of BA (flights to Oz and nearby) move to T3, Star moves to T1 and Skyteam and non-aligned airlines to T4. Actually, that'll probably happen.
Then between 2008 and 2012, they're supposed to be rebuilding all of T1-3 as Heathrow East, starting with T2. But that requires both planning permission and a capex committment by BAA, who are currently in a fit of sulks because their regulator's trying to cap their extortionate profit, and the Competition Commission is threatening to break BAA up. BAA's idiot owners seriously thought they were buying a business they could manipulate government into exempting from proper supervision. Now that they're realising Britain's not the cosy world for government cronies they're used to at home, they're threatening to pick up their ball and go home.
The sooner the better, we all say.
In theory, the rest of Oneworld, and the other 10% of BA (flights to Oz and nearby) move to T3, Star moves to T1 and Skyteam and non-aligned airlines to T4. Actually, that'll probably happen.
Then between 2008 and 2012, they're supposed to be rebuilding all of T1-3 as Heathrow East, starting with T2. But that requires both planning permission and a capex committment by BAA, who are currently in a fit of sulks because their regulator's trying to cap their extortionate profit, and the Competition Commission is threatening to break BAA up. BAA's idiot owners seriously thought they were buying a business they could manipulate government into exempting from proper supervision. Now that they're realising Britain's not the cosy world for government cronies they're used to at home, they're threatening to pick up their ball and go home.
The sooner the better, we all say.
Oct 5th, 2007, 10:02 AM
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BA's current CEo is Willie Walsh, who's Irish.
The parent company, British Airways PLC (BAY.L) is widely listed on the London Stock Exchange. Not sure who's the largest shareholder, but likely some big investment firms, and none hold a significant percentage of the shares.
The parent company, British Airways PLC (BAY.L) is widely listed on the London Stock Exchange. Not sure who's the largest shareholder, but likely some big investment firms, and none hold a significant percentage of the shares.
Oct 5th, 2007, 10:58 PM
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A couple of UK broker analysts have calculated that the majority of BA shares are owned by US-owned institutions.
Apparently, the way the legislation stipulated a 49% limit on foreign share ownership when BA was privatised didn't cater for UK-domiciled shareholding companies (like Goldman Sachs UK operation) being foreign-owned.
So BA - like all major "British" companies - is British only in the sense that its head office is here, and it's mostly the British taxman it avoids paying profit tax to. Its senior management, shareholders, workers and customers come from wherever is in the company's best commercial interest - which mostly means somewhere else.
Apparently, the way the legislation stipulated a 49% limit on foreign share ownership when BA was privatised didn't cater for UK-domiciled shareholding companies (like Goldman Sachs UK operation) being foreign-owned.
So BA - like all major "British" companies - is British only in the sense that its head office is here, and it's mostly the British taxman it avoids paying profit tax to. Its senior management, shareholders, workers and customers come from wherever is in the company's best commercial interest - which mostly means somewhere else.
Oct 7th, 2007, 07:25 AM
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rkkwan--Thanks for the info. Is terminal 3 decent to get through considering we'll have carry on's only? I was there in2003 and don't recall any real problems, but I know things have changed since then.
Judy
Judy
Oct 7th, 2007, 08:51 AM
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<b>Judy</b>,
one carry on ONLY and they mean it. A purse is one. You can always put the purse in the roller and take it out once past security but only 1 carry on per passenger through security. Don't forget the quart ziplock bag and all and any liquids have to be in 3 oz or smaller containers and fit into the ziplock bag. You need to have it out seperatly from your carry so the security people can exemine it. If you leave any liquids in your carry on they may be confiscated regardless of their size. They motto is "declare it or lose it"
Heathrow is a mess at the moment. If you are flying economy I would get there about 3 hours before. No "fast track" for economy passdengers through security and possible 3 or 4 secdurity checks. Interview before you check in, regular security, possible secondary at the gate and on the jetway. That's true for any US bound flights.
one carry on ONLY and they mean it. A purse is one. You can always put the purse in the roller and take it out once past security but only 1 carry on per passenger through security. Don't forget the quart ziplock bag and all and any liquids have to be in 3 oz or smaller containers and fit into the ziplock bag. You need to have it out seperatly from your carry so the security people can exemine it. If you leave any liquids in your carry on they may be confiscated regardless of their size. They motto is "declare it or lose it"
Heathrow is a mess at the moment. If you are flying economy I would get there about 3 hours before. No "fast track" for economy passdengers through security and possible 3 or 4 secdurity checks. Interview before you check in, regular security, possible secondary at the gate and on the jetway. That's true for any US bound flights.
