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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Heathrow's T5 open to passengers | Heathrow's T5 open to passengers |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Heathrow's new Terminal 5 has opened to the public as British Airways begins operating from the building. | Heathrow's new Terminal 5 has opened to the public as British Airways begins operating from the building. |
| A BA flight from Hong Kong was the first to arrive at the £4.3bn facility. The first departure was at 0620 GMT, when a service left for Paris. | A BA flight from Hong Kong was the first to arrive at the £4.3bn facility. The first departure was at 0620 GMT, when a service left for Paris. |
| Both BA and the airport operator BAA are promising a better passenger experience and fewer delays. | Both BA and the airport operator BAA are promising a better passenger experience and fewer delays. |
| Anti-airport expansion groups hope 500 people will take part in a "flash mob" protest at the terminal at 1100 GMT. | Anti-airport expansion groups hope 500 people will take part in a "flash mob" protest at the terminal at 1100 GMT. |
| Demonstrators opposed to plans for a third runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow said they would carry out a peaceful protest, but BAA said it was not expecting disruption. | Demonstrators opposed to plans for a third runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow said they would carry out a peaceful protest, but BAA said it was not expecting disruption. |
| Planes moved | Planes moved |
| There were some teething problems at the airport on Thursday morning. | There were some teething problems at the airport on Thursday morning. |
| Passengers were experiencing difficulties collecting their bags, and there were reports of delays in luggage being loaded onto planes. | |
| Some passengers waited two hours for their bags from a Frankfurt flight that landed at around 0830 GMT. | |
| One unlucky passenger was Jenny Uhl, travelling with her friend, Verena Keller. | |
| Ms Uhl said: "The terminal looks nice, but the bag situation is not good." | |
| Another passenger, Klaus Hausler, said he had been delayed. | |
| "I waited an hour and a half for my bags but could get no information from anyone. It was not good," | |
| There were also complaints about confusing road signs for T5, problems for some people attempting to pay at a car park, and a previously working escalator that had broken down. | There were also complaints about confusing road signs for T5, problems for some people attempting to pay at a car park, and a previously working escalator that had broken down. |
| But other passengers praised the terminal and both BA and BAA have warned passengers it will take time for such a huge project to "bed down". | But other passengers praised the terminal and both BA and BAA have warned passengers it will take time for such a huge project to "bed down". |
| BA chief executive Willie Walsh said "I'm absolutely delighted with the way things have gone so far. I think it's great." | BA chief executive Willie Walsh said "I'm absolutely delighted with the way things have gone so far. I think it's great." |
| BA TERMINAL CHANGES 27 March: Domestic and most European flights move from Terminal 1 to T527 March: Long-haul flights from Terminal 1 move to T527 March: Miami service moves from Terminal 3 to T530 March: Algiers moves from Gatwick to T530 April: All Terminal 4 long-haul go to T5 (except Singapore, Bangkok and Sydney)17 Sept: Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Nice and Helsinki move from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3Early 2009: Singapore, Bangkok and Sydney move from Terminal 4 to Terminal 3 Source: BA | BA TERMINAL CHANGES 27 March: Domestic and most European flights move from Terminal 1 to T527 March: Long-haul flights from Terminal 1 move to T527 March: Miami service moves from Terminal 3 to T530 March: Algiers moves from Gatwick to T530 April: All Terminal 4 long-haul go to T5 (except Singapore, Bangkok and Sydney)17 Sept: Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Nice and Helsinki move from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3Early 2009: Singapore, Bangkok and Sydney move from Terminal 4 to Terminal 3 Source: BA |
| Until Wednesday, BA services were spread across three of Heathrow's terminals. | Until Wednesday, BA services were spread across three of Heathrow's terminals. |
| The airline has had to embark on a major exercise overnight to move aircraft and handling equipment to the new terminal. | The airline has had to embark on a major exercise overnight to move aircraft and handling equipment to the new terminal. |
| Initially, BA will operate domestic and European services from Terminal 5, as well as long-haul flights that currently operate from Terminal 1. | Initially, BA will operate domestic and European services from Terminal 5, as well as long-haul flights that currently operate from Terminal 1. |
| Meanwhile, BAA has had to drop controversial plans to fingerprint domestic passengers after the information commissioner expressed concerns about the move. | Meanwhile, BAA has had to drop controversial plans to fingerprint domestic passengers after the information commissioner expressed concerns about the move. |
| The airport operator said fingerprinting was needed for border security. Instead it will take photographs while the proposal is discussed with the commissioner's office. | The airport operator said fingerprinting was needed for border security. Instead it will take photographs while the proposal is discussed with the commissioner's office. |
| Environmental protests | Environmental protests |
| While BAA says the opening of Terminal 5 will not see any more flights operating to and from Heathrow, environmental groups are not convinced. | While BAA says the opening of Terminal 5 will not see any more flights operating to and from Heathrow, environmental groups are not convinced. |
| John Stewart, from anti-expansion group Hacan ClearSkies, said: "The real reason it [Terminal 5] was built was to provide the terminal capacity to allow more flights on the existing runways, which will mean more noise, more pollution and more stress for those living under the flight paths." | John Stewart, from anti-expansion group Hacan ClearSkies, said: "The real reason it [Terminal 5] was built was to provide the terminal capacity to allow more flights on the existing runways, which will mean more noise, more pollution and more stress for those living under the flight paths." |
| Willie Walsh, writing in the airline's staff newspaper, also admitted that Terminal 5 would not "solve our problems". | Willie Walsh, writing in the airline's staff newspaper, also admitted that Terminal 5 would not "solve our problems". |
| "There continue to be problems at Heathrow with a lack of runway capacity and T5 will do nothing to sort this out," he said. | "There continue to be problems at Heathrow with a lack of runway capacity and T5 will do nothing to sort this out," he said. |
| Once BA has completed its terminal changes, BAA plans to start moving other carriers to Terminals 1, 3 and 4, where they will be grouped according to airline alliances. | Once BA has completed its terminal changes, BAA plans to start moving other carriers to Terminals 1, 3 and 4, where they will be grouped according to airline alliances. |
| Terminal 2 will then be demolished, to pave the way for a new facility - Heathrow East - which BAA hopes will be ready in time for the London Olympics in 2012. | Terminal 2 will then be demolished, to pave the way for a new facility - Heathrow East - which BAA hopes will be ready in time for the London Olympics in 2012. |
| Have you been through terminal 5 today? What was it like? Do you work there? Tell us about the new terminal at Heathrow airport. | Have you been through terminal 5 today? What was it like? Do you work there? Tell us about the new terminal at Heathrow airport. |
| You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via MMS please dial +44 (0)7725 100 100. | You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via MMS please dial +44 (0)7725 100 100. |
| Do not endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | Do not endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |
| Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video | Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video |