First flights to London Heathrow”s new ”4.3bn ($8.6bn) Terminal 5 arrived and departed on time and a protest by environmentalists passed peacefully, but there were some delays following trouble with baggage.
A BAA spokeswoman told ABTN: ”Early this morning there was a minor problem with log-ons of the baggage system which affected the luggage of a handful of outgoing flights. That was quickly rectified and the system is fully operational.
”However, overall the terminal has performed very well.”
A British Airways (BA) spokeswoman said there had been some "not unexpected" teething problems which included car parking provision, delays in staff security screening and staff familiarisation with the terminal, and that these issues were "being resolved."
BA ” sole user of T5 ” employed 250 specially trained staff to move overnight more than 1,000 pieces of equipment and aircraft from T1 and 4, including 27 shorthaul aircraft, 240 cargo containers, 122 cars and vans, 22 sets of aircraft steps, 360 trailers and 95 tugs for baggage, as well as 106 elevators and conveyors which carry and load luggage on and off flights.
No move of this magnitude has ever taken place at any UK airport ” let alone the country”s main hub ” in such a short space of time, the carrier pointed out.
BA CEO Willie Walsh said: ”The new terminal gives us a great opportunity to offer the highest levels of service and put Heathrow back on the global travel map.
”I know that our customers will love the space, comfort and convenience that T5 offers and I believe that people can look forward to a much calmer and more enjoyable way of travelling in the months ahead.”
The airline expects more than 40,000 customers to pass through the terminal today (27 March) as it operates 380 flights - 190 departures and 190 arrivals ” of which 350 will be shorthaul and domestic services, and 30 longhaul.
There are 17km (10mi) of baggage conveyor belts at the terminal, and BA plans to process 12,000 per hour.
Concerns had been expressed about BAA plans for biometric fingerprinting at security gates, but the BAA spokeswoman confirmed this technology is not in current use.
”Following a meeting with all relevant parties, including the Information Commissioner and the Border and Immigration Agency, the introduction of fingerprinting for domestic passengers and international passengers transferring onto domestic flights at Heathrow will be temporarily delayed.
”BAA will be opening T5 using a photographic identification process during this time which is already in place, and we will be working closely with the Information Commissioner and Home Office over the next few weeks to agree the best approach going forward.”
Anti airport expansion group HACAN ClearSkies staged a protest at 11:00 at international arrivals, but a BA spokeswoman confirmed this was ” as planned ” peaceful, and no services were disrupted.
Travel industry lobby group FlyingMatters” director Michelle Di Leo said: ”Just 250 ”flashmobbers” turned up today ” a much smaller number than the organisers had predicted. This demonstrates that, contrary to the protestations of anti-aviation groups, the vast majority of people want to continue to enjoy the benefits of sustainable air travel.”