Heathrow Airport Terminal 2 Closes
Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport will see no more holidaymakers pass through its doors after it closed today in preparation for a brand new terminal.
The terminal will be demolished and a £1 billion replacement will open in 2014 as the new home of the Star Alliance airlines inclulding Lufthansa, United Airlines and Air Canada.
The new Terminal 2 will be over three times the size of the now-defunct one, but with a 40 per cent smaller carbon footprint thanks to initiatives including solar panels in the roof. It is anticipated the new terminal will see 20 million passengers pass through its doors each year, whereas the previous Terminal 2 handled approximately 8 million travellers a year.
The vice president of product and services for the Star Alliance, Lee Hock Lye told The Times: “The closure and subsequent demolition of Terminal 2 will make way for our new home at Heathrow. This will finally allow our member carriers to operate under one roof at one of the world's largest aviation hubs, placing us on at least an equal footing with others.”
During the transitional phases, many airlines have had to take up temporary residence at other terminals. For example, Air France will now fly from Terminal 4 along with the SkyTeam Alliance airlines. During the busy summer holiday period, TAP Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Swiss Airlines and Lufthansa – all members of the Star Alliance – moved flights across to Terminal 1.
Terminal 2 was the first terminal to open at Heathrow Airport, welcoming the first passengers through its doors in 1955.
Travel Industry news posted by Marilyn on 24 November 2009
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