- Heathrow’s new Terminal 2 will open its doors on 4th June 2014
- £2.5bn of private investment in UK infrastructure
- Companies and jobs supported across the UK
- 20 million passengers a year will use the new terminal
- 6 months of testing involving 14,000 people before the new terminal opens
2013-06-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — 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 4th June 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 £2.5bn 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. Crown House Technologies Ltd in Dartford won the £100m mechanical and electrical works contract for T2A, Severfield-Watson Structures Ltd in Bolton and Thirsk were paid £50m for designing, fabricating and erecting the main steel frame for T2A and T2B and Commercial Systems International Ltd in Hull was tasked with supplying the giant Slipstream sculpture.
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.”
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. Terminal 2 is part of Heathrow’s vision to be the UK’s direct connection to the world and Europe’s hub airport of choice:
For families: Terminal 2 will have spacious, open, pushchair friendly concourses and numerous lifts. A range of services will make family travel easier, with dedicated family friendly security lanes during peak holiday times, family friendly restaurants and a play area for children.
For business travellers: A short stay car park will offer space finding technology and a ‘find your car’ service to ensure quick and easy access. Self-service check-in options will allow business travellers to get to the departures lounge as quickly as possible, whilst connectivity tables and wifi will allow them to work until they board their flight.
For leisure travellers: Multi-lingual ambassadors will be stationed around the terminal to assist passengers and personal shoppers will be on hand to help all passengers take advantage of the duty free opportunities.
Terminal 2 is Heathrow’s most sustainable terminal yet, and marks the latest phase of an £11 billion transformation of Heathrow. The old Terminal 2, opened by the Queen in 1955, was demolished after 54 years of service. It was Heathrow’s first terminal, originally called the “Europa Building” and was designed to deal with 1.2 million passengers a year. By the time it closed in 2009 it was handling 8 million passengers a year.
The main build is on schedule for completion in November 2013 and will be followed by six months of testing. By the time the terminal opens for service, it will have undergone 182 trials and been tested by 14,000 people. Some trials will involve more than 3,200 people, with the whole process designed to test the passenger journey as comprehensively as possible.
Mark Schwab, CEO Star Alliance commented: “Our 23 member carriers at Heathrow generate more than 20% of the airport’s overall traffic. Hence, it is only logical that we actively participate in the Terminal 2 project which will become our home at Heathrow. We look forward to moving into this purpose built facility in a year’s time, ringing in a new era for our customers, member carriers and employees.”
The terminal will open in phases, with the 26 airlines moving in over a period of six months. Just ten percent of flights will operate for the first three weeks of June before gradually building up to full operations.
ENDS
For more information, please contact the Heathrow Airport media centre on +44 (0)20 8745 7224 or emailmedia_centre@heathrow.com
Notes to Editors
Terminal 2 phase 1 is a £2.5bn development:
- The main terminal building
- A satellite building – T2B (connected to T2A via an underground walkway)
- A 1,340 space multi-storey car park
- An energy centre
- 28 fully serviced and fuelled aircraft stands (12 at the main terminal building, 16 at the satellite)
- 60 self-service kiosks
- 60 fast bag drops – which can also be configured for traditional use
- 56 traditional check-in desks
- Check-in will be large enough to accommodate 3,000 passengers per hour
- 24 security lanes (17 for economy passengers, 4 Fast Track and 3 for staff and crew)
- Approximately 500 security officers, 30 passenger Service Ambassadors and 70 Service Team Leaders
- An average of 55,000 passengers will arrive and depart from the Terminal daily once in full operation
Sustainability
- 20% of T2’s energy needs will be from renewable sources
- 40.5% less CO2 emissions than a building built to 2006 building regulations
- 1000 square metres of photovoltaic panels on the building’s canopy
- 12MW biomass boiler heater
- Wood used to power the boiler is sustainably sourced, FSC approved timber
- The first phase will potentially save around 13,000 tonnes of CO2 a year compared to the use of natural gas and grid electricity
- Extensive glazing means more natural light. As well as glazed walls, north-facing skylights in the roof will provide glare-free daylight without heat gain (which would mean more air conditioning)
- A sophisticated lighting control system will keep energy use down by switching lights off when parts of the building are not in use or when daylight is bright enough
- To prevent solar heat gain, the glazed facade incorporates solar control glass and angled louvres, while an overhanging roof shades the south-facing windows
- 95% of the demolished buildings were recycled (Old T2 and the Queen’s building)
- The layout of aircraft stands at Terminal 2 will mean planes can taxi more efficiently to the runways, reducing ground level emissions and improving air quality. Mirroring the way buildings are arranged at Terminal 5, this is called a ‘toast rack’ layout.
- Aircraft stands will use units to supply aircraft with electricity and preconditioned air so that they don’t have to run their auxiliary engines when stationary
The old Terminal 2
- Opened in 1955, shut after 54 years of service in 2009
- Demolished in 2010
It was Heathrow’s first terminal, originally called the ‘Europa Building’. It was renamed Terminal 2 when Terminal 1 opened in 1969
Contact information
Heathrow Airport media centre
+44 (0)20 8745 7224
media_centre@heathrow.com