Flying start for BA's T5 transfer - News in brief - Evening Standard
       

Flying start for BA's T5 transfer

British Airways' transfer of some long-haul flights to Heathrow's Terminal 5 (T5) started well with the first two planes arriving on time.

BA put on extra staff to cope with the new flights in an effort to avoid the chaotic scenes when the £4.3 billion new facility opened at the end of March.

The first flight in - from Lagos in Nigeria - was on time at 5.55am, with the second, from New York, touching down on schedule at 6.25am.

A BA spokesman said: "So far everything is going well and we are hoping for a trouble-free day. We have more than enough staff to cope. Passengers from the first flight were through in just seven minutes."

The shambolic opening of the terminal on March 27, when flights were cancelled and bags went astray, prompted BA to postpone a planned April 30 move of long-haul operation from Heathrow Terminal 4 to T5 until June.

The airline later announced the move would be done in phases, with eight destinations moving on Thursday, more on September 17 and the rest at the end of October.

The eight destinations moving on Thursday are New York, Lagos and Abuja in Nigeria, Bangalore, Beijing, Cairo, Cape Town, and Phoenix in Arizona, USA.

The BA spokesman said: "We have staff at Terminal 4 in case some people got there for their flight, although we have been in contact with passengers and travel agents telling them about the transfer.

"On that first day in March, we moved 394 flights. Today it's just 15 so it's all on a much smaller scale."

News in brief in Pictures

Don't Miss
Rock star: Erin Wasson

Rock star

Erin Wasson is the ultimate anti-supermodel
Maybe it’s because she’s a Londoner … Happy anniversary, Ma’am

Happy anniversary

The monarchy has become stronger and more respected in the past 60 years
Victoria Coren: My obsession with children, five proposals a week and why David and I are no power couple

Victoria Coren

David Mitchell and I are no power couple
The Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition preview party

Summer party

Stars at the The Royal Academy of Arts
London gets ready for the Diamond Jubilee - in pictures

Diamond Jubilee

London gets ready - in pictures
The Glamour Awards - stars turn on the style

Glamour Awards

Stars turn on the style
Duchess of Cambridge is pretty in pink at her first Buckingham Palace garden party

Garden party

Duchess of Cambridge is pretty in pink
FIRST review of Ridley Scott's latest sci-fi blockbuster Prometheus

First review

Is Ridley Scott's Prometheus any good?
Fair-weather goths

Fair-weather goths

The sultry shades of summer darks are coming out of the shadows
Dog save the Queen: Corgis surge in popularity

Dog save the Queen

Corgis surge in popularity