The Queen has today officially opened Heathrow Terminal 2: The Queen’s Terminal, almost 60 years after opening the original building.
The Queen unveiled a commemorative plaque that will be installed in a public part of the building. The secretary of state for transport, Patrick McLoughlin, will give a short address at the event.
This afternoon's ceremony was attended by over 1,000 people who were either involved in T2's construction or are part of the team now working in the new terminal.
The Queen during a visit to Heathrow in 1977The Queen, along with the Duke of Edinburgh, met dignitaries including Heathrow executives, Star Alliance executives, architect Luis VIdal and Richard Wilson, the designer of the Slipstream art installation in place in the terminal's courtyard entrance.
United Airlines was the first carrier to move into the terminal followed by Air Canada, and will eventually be home to 26 airlines – 23 members of the Star Alliance as well as Aer Lingus, Germanwings and Virgin Atlantic Little Red.
Airlines will move into the new terminal in phases over the next six months. When fully occupied, T2 will have 332 daily flights to 54 global destinations.
Terminal 2 is made-up of 60 check-in gates and 66 self-check-in kiosks, 29 security lanes, 33 shops, 17 restaurants, more than 7,000 seats, 634 toilets and 42 water fountains.
By the end of the year T2 will be handling passengers at the rate of 15.8 million annually and it has been built to take up to 20 million.