Global General

Special

Newsmaker

Asia Pacific

America

Middle East

Europe

Africa

Heathrow's new terminal will not be ready for 2012 Olympics

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-09-02 10:28

BAA, Heathrow's operators, have admitted that at best only part of Heathrow East – which will replace Terminals 1 and 2 – will be open for business when competitors and delegates arrive for the 2012 games.

The shambolic opening of Terminal 5 earlier this year has thrown the timetable into complete disarray. [Agencies]

After the spectacular Beijing Olympics, the news of the latest delays will be seen as damaging Britain's reputation as well as that of BAA and its Spanish parent company, Ferrovial.

"This is yet more embarrassment for BAA, which will leave many of their airline customers fuming," said Theresa Villiers, the Tories' transport spokesman.

"BAA need to get their act together, not just on Heathrow East but on making the airport better across the board.

"The performance of Heathrow will play a major part in determining whether the 2012 Olympics are a success or not and we need a much higher quality of customer service from BAA than we have had over recent months."

Last month the Competition Commission called for BAA to lose its monopoly over London's airports, advocating that the company should be forced to sell Stansted and Gatwick.

This, it was argued, would mean that service standards would improve – and "Heathrow hassle" could become a thing of the past, if all three airports were in competition with each other.

The extent of the delay remains unclear, but it is understood that several major building contractors that work is now unlikely to start until next year.

More than 50 airlines at Heathrow are involved in a complex game of musical chairs following in readiness for the new terminal.

But the shambolic opening of Terminal 5 earlier this year has thrown the timetable into complete disarray.

The next shift should have seen British Airways flights to Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Nice and Helsinki move from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 in just over a fortnight.

This will now not take place until next January. Other airlines to find their plans scrapped include Lufthansa, which has made little secret of its annoyance and has hinted that it could take legal action.

Heathrow is now considering an array of options alleviate the problems it faces.

The most dramatic change will see the creation of a second satellite building at Terminal 5 by 2010 – at least two earlier than previously planned.

This has been done after British Airways projections were re-evaluated, with the airport predicting that demand will be heavier than previously.

A spokesman for BAA said that other terminals had not been ignored. "All of our terminals are being refurbished and we hope to have at least part of Terminal East ready in 2012."