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The Queen is to open Terminal 5

The Queen has officially opened the £4.3 billion new Terminal 5 (T5) at Heathrow airport, ending 15 years of planning and protest.

Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen paved the way for the operational start of the new terminal on March 27.

With the royal party as they toured the striking new terminal was Sir Nigel Rudd, chairman of airport operator BAA, which first submitted a planning application for T5 as far back as February 1993. A 30-strong choir performed a specially-commissioned choral composition to mark the opening.

Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly, whose plans for expanding Heathrow with a possible third runway and sixth terminal have met with strong opposition from green groups, was among 800 invited guests.

The new terminal has been built exclusively for British Airways, which will eventually have all its Heathrow flights operating from the facility.

T5 will be able to handle 30 million passengers a year and means Heathrow's annual passenger numbers will rise from around 68 million to 95 million.

T5 has been seen as essential for the well-being of Heathrow, London and the UK but it was solidly opposed when first proposed in the 1990s. A record-breaking four-year planning inquiry - from 1995 to 1999 - was held into T5, which eventually led to the Government giving the scheme the go-ahead in 2001, with work starting in 2002.

BAA chairman Sir Nigel said: "Terminal Five marks the start of a new beginning for Heathrow, for BAA and for our millions of passengers.

"It is by any standard a triumph of ambition, commitment and collaboration. It will breathe new life into Heathrow, allowing us to continue our transformation of the rest of the airport and will put Heathrow and BAA back where they belong - at the leading edge of global travel."

BA chief executive Willie Walsh said: "Terminal Five is a fantastic facility and our customers will really enjoy the space, comfort and convenience it offers. With the opening of T5, BA and BAA have an opportunity to make air travel, both into and out of the UK, once again a calmer and much more enjoyable experience."

Terminal 5 facts

Cost	£4.3bn
Number of passengers annually	30million
Phase One (opening 2008)	Terminal 5A and B - 50 aircraft stands (total)
Phase Two (opening 2010)	Terminal 5C - 60 aircraft stands (total)
Multi-storey car park	3,800 spaces
Sofitel London Heathrow Hotel (opens June)	605 rooms
Rail and Tube links	Heathrow Express and Piccadilly Line
Check-in self service kiosks	96
Check-in fast bag drops	96
Check-in standard desks	54
Check-in fast bag drops	More than 90
Number of bags processed per hour	12,000
Number of lifts	192
Children's play areas (toddlers to 7 years)	3
Number of retails facilities	112 (including 25 food and drink outlets

7:42am Friday 14th March 2008

Inside Terminal 5

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