[Anonymous]

[pheighdough]

As has been written about previously there has been a migration from T1 to mainly T2, but also T3 & T4, I am writing this as I am currently waiting for my flight to Hannover. this is only one of 21 daily flights now from T1, and on entering the terminal the departure board listed the remaining 12 departures for the day.

On arrival into the terminal is like walking into a ghost town. The check in area is virtually deserted, and on dropping off my bag at BA, I have 4 ladies to choose from. Going through security was done in an instant and there were staff waiting for someone, anyone to use them. Once through T1 departures has large areas boarded off, and very limited access to shops, bars etc.

I headed straight for the BA International Lounge and enjoyed their Thai Green Curry whilst watching departures from 27R. This still has to be the best lounge viewing area in the entire airport, especially as I’ve just seen the Qatar A380 depart.

I’m a regular to Hanover, so I would expect the usual service for such a short flight. Never really had a bad experience, but it does depend how many soldiers and families are moving around.

Overall the T1 experience has become more slick, but I can not see how much longer this terminal can sustain operations, fingers crossed the lounge remains open for some solitude. I also noticed that Icelander have changed lounges to use the BA International Lounge, does this mean that the Servisair Lounge has now closed??

[cityprofessional]

It looked pretty sad last week too, when I had to go to DUB and back (and still using the wretched Green Mile gates despite the fact that the entire rest of the terminal is completely empty – something to do with UK/Irish CTA restrictions, I presume)

My understanding is that T1 will be closed as soon as practical, but they need to make room in T3 (or T5 by moving some BA flights to T3). And apparently the T3 baggage system needs upgrading first, so it won’t be till mid-2015…

In the meantime, it’s worth enjoying the BA T1 lounge while it’s still there. Best BA lounge view at LHR 🙂

[travelworld2]

I must confess that I’m surprised that a rump of flights have been left with no firm move date to other terminals.T1 is due to close for good in 2015 but exactly when hasn’t been announced. Of the remaining airlines, presumably Icelandair and El Al will move to T4 and TAM to T3 with the remainder of BA flights going to T5/T3. I’ve not been to T3 since T2 opened but there must now be more space there since the departure of several Star Alliance airlines. Or is it undergoing more building work now there is that extra space?

[HedgeFundFlyer]

BA are building a new check in area at T3 and only when that is done can its remaining flights move from T1.

El Al and Iceland will go to T4, yes.

MH is likely to move from T4 to T3 to create some room.

Tam will go to T3 too.

[ImissConcorde]

cityprofessional –
re your “Green Mile” comment.
I remember when that pier was opened a correspondant wrote to the Irish Times noting that while one check in for a flight at Heathrow T1 they then had to walk to Stanstead to board the plane!!

Who would have thought, back in the ’90s, with car park queues back to the M4 spur that Terminal 1 would end up like this?

[cityprofessional]

@HedgeFundFlyer

Has anyone consulted MH about moving to T3? After spending money on a shiny new lounge, you’d think the last thing they’d want to do is move back to grimy old T3 (from whence they were turfed out only a couple of years ago)

Why doesn’t QR move back to T3 instead, like, 12 months after they were shifted unceremoniously to T4? (same reason, I think you’ll find)

I do sometimes wonder if HAL would make up their mind (or build proper sized terminals – e.g. T5D) instead of shifting airlines and routes back and forth… And, despite this, I still end up on (or waiting for) buses half the time, because they haven’t bothered to build enough airbridges

[SenatorGold]

Now that it has joined Star Alliance, does anyone know if Air India will move from T4 to T2 to join other Star Alliance members?

[transtraxman]

I am confused. With all the latest moves by airlines from T1 to T2 and others, I thought that Heathrow was well on the way to closing T1 next spring.
What are left, at the moment, are El Al, Cyprus Airways and some BA flights. These are still not shown on Heathrow airport´s website as going to be moved.

http://www.heathrowairport.com/flight-information/which-terminal

However, I see today that BA is going to introduce double daily flights to Bilbao from T1 from next March.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/100993/ba-to-fly-twice-daily-to-bilbao

Is this a mistake? If it is not what are the plans for T1? Do BA and the others have new terminals destined for their routes? Is there room at the other terminals for these flights? Or is T1 going to be refurbished (surely a cheaper option than rebuilding)?
Can BT help in this?

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

I have just looked at the schedule next August and Luxembourg and Cairo are still showing T1. You would think BA would have decided by now where these flights are going.

[AviationGeek]

BA plan to move all remaining services away from Terminal 1 by late 2015.
Due due lack of space they won’t all be able to be accommodated in T5, so my guess is that T3 will be welcoming some of them, possibly with some swaps T5/T3 to get the best use of aircraft rotation.

[cityprofessional]

@alexpo1 – I am sure BA would dearly love to know where their flights will be next year, and to have all their flights at Terminal 5

I would suggest that the issue is the lack of investment by Heathrow Airport Limited (and their coincidental +12% increase in EBITDA in the 9 months to September?)

They want another runway, yet can’t build enough terminal space for the two they’ve got

[AnthonyDunn]

As HAL’s own website is distinctly behind the curve with the airport operator’s plans for the future use of the LHR T1 site:

http://www.heathrowairport.com/about-us/company-news-and-information/improving-heathrow

try reading:

http://www.airportwatch.org.uk/cancel-new-runway-plans-say-tories/

QUOTE Heathrow will seek to complete and open the first phase of Terminal 2 by 2014, enabling it to close Terminal 1. But Heathrow Airport has confirmed it is delaying the construction of the £2.5bn 2nd phase of its Terminal 2 building in its latest 5 year business plan (Q6). This means building work starting at the end of the 2014 – 2019 period. The business plan says Heathrow does not now expect to complete the project until “late in Q7” – meaning it could be as late as 2024 before the building is complete. In 2010 BAA said the building, which will add capacity for a further 10 million passengers a year, would be complete by 2019. Heathrow Airport still expects to spend £3bn over the Q6 period, with investment reducing year-on-year over the period, from £660m in 2014/15 to £464m in 2018/19. “The next quinquennium at BAA will largely be about asset replacement rather than major new projects.”

Launching the investment plans, Colin Matthews said Heathrow envisaged passenger numbers increasing from just under 70m now to around 72.6m by 2018-19 (compared with DfT forecasts of 75m by 2020). So no urgent need for space for 10 million more passengers. ENDS

[Travellator]

BA just announced flights to Bilbao from Term 1 from March next year.

Al l this despite Iberia metal parked at T5 – how bizarre !

[pheighdough]

To finish what I started I am now back from my trip to Hannover. Outbound the flight departed from Gate 5a, it was full and as it was a shorty flight and only the minimum crew they were hurried.

However the return into Heathrow had us arriving at Gate 5c. The Gate 5 complex (a-d) is where a majority of flights now operate from, with only the El Al flight parking elsewhere. It’s a very long walk from Gate 5 to immigration, and is like the grand national for people in a rush with wheelie bags. Quite entertaining to watch!

Immigration was slick, as we were the penultimate flight, just the El Al behind us. Walking along the walkways you get to look into T1, and majority of shops are closed, it really looks quite depressing and sad now.

Overall T1 is a sad place to be, and the sooner the airport decides who goes where and when the better as far as I am concerned.

Finally, and I know a lot has been written about food outlets and this isn’t relevant to Heathrow T1, but may I say that the Movenpick Marche in Hannover Airport is probably the worse place I’ve ever come across when it comes to service. I had a 45min wait for something to eat, and asked for the bill at the same time I was served my food. It was awful a year ago but has recently changed decor Nothing else has changed, DO NOT VISIT IT, otherwise you’ll be very disappointed

[Author]

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