Star Alliances celebrate the milestone

Heathrow’s new Terminal 2, the next major phase in the airport’s on-going transformation, is now only one year away.

The new terminal will open its doors on June 4th 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.

Despite being built in the centre of the world’s busiest international airport, the £2.5 billion construction project has not disrupted daily operations.

The new Terminal 2 is one of the largest privately funded construction projects in the UK and will have supported 35,000 jobs across the country by the time it opens.

Twenty five thousand staff, many from local communities, 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 construction has also supported jobs across the UK, with contracts awarded to firms in every region and county.

Speaking at the Terminal, the commercial secretary to the Treasury, Lord Deighton said: “Infrastructure is quite rightly at the heart of Government plans.

“We’re investing more, cutting red-tape and improving Government capability to deliver major infrastructure projects.

“But the vast majority of investment and delivery capacity lies in the private sector with projects such as Terminal 2, which forms part of the government’s Top 40 priority infrastructure investments.

“The excellent work here reflects best practice in infrastructure delivery, progressing on time and to budget, working collaboratively with its suppliers.

“This is a great example of successful project management and delivery in the UK and exactly the kind of work Government is supporting through the Cost Review and other initiatives designed to help companies do their bit to give the UK the infrastructure we need to compete in a global market.”

Terminal 2

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

This will mean a big improvement in passenger experience and continue the progress Heathrow has already made in recent years with the opening of Terminal 5 and refurbishments of Terminals 1, 3 and 4.

John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow 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.