London Heathrow opens new Terminal 2

London Heathrow new Terminal 2 has been inaugurated, as flights began to arrive earlier today. Terminal 2 is Heathrow’s first passenger terminal with a history of nearly 60 years since its debut in 1955.

United Airlines has been granted the privilege of being the first airline to use the terminal first with 34 incoming and outgoing flights scheduled for today. This means that the terminal will be populated with almost 6000 passengers just for today.

26 airlines in total are expected to inhabit the terminal, 23 of them being members of Star Alliance. Along these there will also be Aer Lingus, Virgin Atlantic Little Red and Germanwings.

The full occupation of the terminal will be finished in the following six months.

At full capacity, the terminal will bear 332 daily flights with 54 destinations covered world-wide.

The construction of the terminal is part of Heathrow’s strategy to bring a new perspective on the passenger service.

Statistics show that a significant increase in positive client services feedback from 2006 to 2014.

An important step in this strategy has been the inauguration of Terminal 5. Heathrow has also asked help from 14000 volunteers over the last six months in order to conduct more than 180 trials on costumers services.

Close to 100.000 luggages have past through the Terminal 2 with a highest peak of 4000 luggage per hour. The expected peak was set at 2500.

The terminal operates at only 10% of its total flight volume during its first day.

“If government supports a third runway at Heathrow then Terminal 2 will be extended to become one of two main passenger hubs for the airport.

“Heathrow East (an extended Terminal 2) and Heathrow West (Terminals 5 and 6) will be the main passenger terminals for a three runway Heathrow.

“These terminals and their satellite buildings will be connected by one underground passenger transit and baggage system.

“The aim is to make Heathrow feel like a single integrated airport, creating simpler journeys for passengers,” Holland-Kaye Heathrow's Development Director, future Chief Executive Officer