Plan for first-class transfers

HEATHROW TERMINAL 5 OPENING: THOUSANDS OF IRISH travellers will be among the first to use the new state-of-the-art Terminal 5 which opens at Heathrow airport on Thursday.

British Airways will be transferring all its Heathrow operations to the new terminal. The first flights to move to Terminal 5 next Thursday include all British Airways (BA) domestic and European flights, with the exception of Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Nice and Helsinki.

Flights to and from Tripoli and long haul services to and from Johannesburg, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Miami will also transfer on the same day. On April 30th the remaining intercontinental flights will move to Terminal 5 with the exception of Singapore, Sydney and Bangkok.

British Airways says the long-awaited move into its new home means Irish customers will benefit from an easy and quick transfer for flights arriving into Terminal 1 and connecting with flights departing from Terminal 5.

Simon Daly, Irish sales manager for BA, said customers could look forward to a calmer, smoother, simpler airport experience at Heathrow.

"The new terminal means that for Irish passengers flying through Heathrow to connect with our European or long haul services they will continue to arrive at Terminal 1 and then a quick speedy transfer will be provided to Terminal Five.

"As they will be through- checked to their final destination along with their baggage, their whole travelling experience will be a much more enjoyable and smooth one," he added.

Check before you go

Check your booking on www.ba.com/ managemybooking before you get to the airport to ensure you know which terminal you depart from. Or check the transition schedule for flights at http://www. britishairways.com/travel/routedest/public/en_gb.

If possible, check-in online and print your boarding pass www.ba.com/managemy booking up to 24 hours before your flight departs.

In advance of your flight check all the information about getting to the terminal, its facilities, way-finding and so on at the website http://www.terminal5.ba.com.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times