It’s been some time coming, but London Heathrow Airport is set to reopen the Terminal 4 complex to airlines and the public.
Terminal 4 will reopen to travellers on the 14th of June to provide additional capacity. The terminal was used during the pandemic to handle arrivals from “Red List” countries to allow separation from other passengers.
The first airline to move will be Qatar Airways will be the first to move, followed by around 30 airlines over the following month.
Other airlines identified in the move include:
- Air Algerie
- Air Astana
- Air Malta
- Air Mauritius
- Air Serbia
- Azerbaijan Airlines
- Bulgarian Air
- El Al – Israeli Airlines
- Etihad Airways
- Gulf Air
- ITA Airlines
- Kenya Airways
- Korean Air
- Kuwait Airways
- Malaysian Airlines
- Omanair
- Royal Air Maroc
- Royal Brunei
- Saudi Arabia Airlines
- TAROM
- Tunis Air
- Uzbekistan Airways
- Vietnam Airlines.
Other airlines that are booked to move, but are operating ad-hoc (or not at all) include Aeroflot, Arkia and Israir.
The move will allow Terminal 4 airlines more check-in space and stand capacity as well as access to their premium facilities, and will also free up space in Terminals 2, 3 and 5 ahead of the summer peak.
Over the last two years, the airport has taken the opportunity to refurbish many parts of Terminal 4, including upgrading toilets, air conditioning and hold baggage screening machines.
In terms of connectivity, Local buses, Piccadilly Line underground services, TFL Rail and inter-terminal transfer service will operate into T4 from 14 June to provide easy access for passengers and colleagues.
The airport and its operators intend for a wide range of retail, food and beverage outlets to be available, and more will open over the summer as airline occupancy increases.
In Quotes
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said:
“I want to thank our colleagues and Team Heathrow partners who are working tirelessly to make sure that millions of people can enjoy the benefits of travel once again.
“While we are still years away from passenger numbers returning to pre-pandemic levels, reopening Terminal 4 will give airlines at Heathrow extra space across the airport, helping them manage the impact additional travel documents continue to have on check in times.
“To help ensure a smooth journey we will ensure head office colleagues are in the terminals helping passengers. Passengers can also help us to help them by getting set for travel before they arrive at the airport, by checking their terminal in advance, completing all travel paperwork at home and getting hand luggage ready for security checks.”
Staff are coming… but plan ahead
With Terminal 4 reopening, the airport is in the mids of recruiting 1,000 new security officers and other staff to the front line. As usual, there is a lag from recruitment to training to security approval.
It goes without saying that with a Terminal shuffle happening very shortly, expect airlines to update when they move. In recent years the layout has been:
- Terminal 2 – Star Alliance
- Terminal 3 – oneworld
- Terminal 4 – SkyTeam
- Terminal 5 – British Airways and Iberia.
During the past few years, airlines have moved to operate between Terminal 3 and Terminal 2. There have also been some alliance movements, with Royal Air Maroc joining oneworld. They will join Qatar Airways and Malaysia Airlines which have chosen to decamp back to Terminal 4.
As such, Heathrow airport advises the following to passengers:
- Check your terminal in advance
- Complete all travel paperwork before leaving home
- Get hand luggage security ready, remembering rules of liquids and large electricals
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