Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, joined Her Majesty The Queen, and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, at the official opening of the new Terminal 2: The Queenโs Building at Londonโs Heathrow Airport โ nearly 60 years after the original Terminal 2 opening.
Mr. Al Baker, who sits as a non-Executive Director on the board of Heathrow Airport Limited, was present with other airline CEOs and executives at the historic official opening. The Queen inaugurated London Airportโs first passenger terminal, the Central Terminal Area, in December 1955 but has now renamed Terminal 2 as the Queenโs Terminal.
The former Terminal 2 was built to handle an annual 1.2 million passengers at its peak; the new building has been built to handle 20 million. It has 24 departure gates, 24 fully-serviced aircraft stands and cost ยฃ2.5billion to create.
The first carriers to use the terminal are United Airlines, ANA, Air Canada and Air China. They will be followed by another 22 airlines including Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic Little Red and Aer Lingus by October this year. When fully occupied, Terminal 2 will have 332 flights per day to 54 destinations around the world.
Mr. Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, commented: โIt is exciting to see the further expansion of Heathrow with this state-of-the-art terminal opened by Her Majesty The Queen and I am delighted that so many airlines and passengers will benefit from the airportโs increased efficiency. Qatar Airways regards Heathrow as one of its most important hubs as London remains such a key gateway to Europe and beyond.โ
John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow Development Director and Chief Executive Designate said: โTerminal 2 is the culmination of an ยฃ11billion investment programme that has transformed Heathrow for passengers. Opening a new terminal is one of the most complex challenges that any airport can undertake. Our real measure of success is whether Terminal 2 comes to be rated by passengers as one of the worldโs best airport terminals for years to come.โ