Countdown begins to opening of Heathrow’s new Star Alliance Terminal
With the move to Terminal 2 next year, all 23 Star Alliance member airlines serving Heathrow, including SAA, and representing over 20% of the airports traffic, will for the first time ever operate from a single terminal.
The countdown to the opening of the new Terminal 2 at London Heathrow Airport has begun!
In just under 365 days the home of South African Airways and Star Alliance at Britain’s premier aviation hub will welcome the flying public. As of June next year, the Star Alliance carriers will begin their move into Terminal 2.
Star Alliance chief executive officer Mark Schwab commented, “In a year’s time we will ring in a new era for our customers, member carriers and employees at London Heathrow. The purpose built Terminal 2 will be our home and will offer a superior travel experience to our customers, create new business opportunities for our member carriers and provide an improved working environment for employees.”
With the move to Terminal 2, all 23 Star Alliance member airlines serving Heathrow and representing over 20% of the airports traffic, will for the first time ever operate from a single terminal.
This will give Star Alliance the opportunity to enhance its seamless ‘hub’ experience, increase the number of passengers transferring through Heathrow and provide shorter connecting times between member airlines. Moreover, the state-of-the art terminal allows Star Alliance to provide a new and improved level of service for passengers, offering today’s air traveller the right balance and choice between technology and the personal touch.
Terminal 2 will have more automated processes and common facilities than currently exists in any one terminal at Heathrow, giving passengers more control over their journey. Operating ‘under one roof’ enables the Star Alliance member carriers to share operational facilities more efficiently, and make the best use of space and services. Together, this will make Terminal 2 a commercially attractive European ‘hub’ option for the airlines.
Tim Atkinson, South African Airways Head of Airport Operations, International said “We’re very excited about today’s announcement and the countdown to the opening of the new Terminal 2 at London Heathrow. Our move into Heathrow’s newest terminal will offer South African Airwayscustomers an unrivalled passenger experience both in the air and on the ground, harnessing new technologies and seamless connections with our extensive network to Southern Africa. Our move from our current home in Terminal One is set to take place from the autumn of 2014 and will give us a unique opportunity to build upon our reputation as Africa’s most awarded airline.”
From Terminal 2, 23 Star Alliance airlines – Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South AfricanAirways, SWISS, TAM Airlines, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI, United and US Airways – will provide 136 flights a day to over 51 worldwide destinations. Future member carrier EVA Air will also join the member carriers in T2 during the course of 2014.
Further information on Heathrow Terminal 2 can be found at www.heathrow.com/t2
About Star Alliance:
The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognised by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAM Airlines, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI, United and US Airways. EVA Air has been announced as future member. Overall, the Star Alliance network offers more than 21,900 daily flights to 1,329 airports in 194 countries.
Photo: Sebastian Mikosz (LOT), Harry Hohmeister (SWISS), Tewolde Gebremariam (Ethiopian), Christoph Franz (Lufthansa), Rickard Gustafson (SAS), Calin Rovinescu (Air Canada), Nico Bezuidenhout (SAA), Temel Kotil (Turkish), Christopher Luxon (Air New Zealand), Shinobe Osamu (ANA), Tawfik Assy (EGYPTAIR) and Mark Schwab (STAR ALLIANCE) at the IATA AGM in Cape Town.
