HEATHROW’S QUEEN’S BUILDING MAKES WAY FOR THE NEW TERMINAL 2, THE FUTURE HOME OF STAR ALLIANCE AT HEATHROW

BAA Chairman Sir Nigel Rudd today brought down the curtain on one of Heathrow’s oldest landmarks, as he started the demolition of the Queen’s Building to make way for the airport’s new Terminal 2.

Terminal 2 will cost £1 billion, and once completed will be the home of Star Alliance at Heathrow.

Sir Nigel Rudd said: “The Queen’s Building has long sat at the heart of Heathrow, but the past must make way for the future, as we prepare to construct a new home for the Star Alliance member airlines serving Heathrow.

“We are proud to be rebuilding Heathrow and investing in what is undoubtedly one of the UK’s most important assets. In a few years time, Heathrow will be largely new, and passengers and airlines will be using bright, modern and practical facilities which allow us to deliver higher standards of service.”

Lee Hock Lye, Vice President Product and Services, Star Alliance said: “Today marks a significant step forward in our endeavour to have a home under one roof for all our member carriers at Heathrow, which will finally allow us to operate from one of the worlds largest aviation hubs on at least an equal footing with others.”

The new Terminal 2 will provide higher standards of facilities and customer service, and will be one of the world’s most sustainable airport buildings. For the first time, all 25* Star Alliance airlines at Heathrow will be operating in one terminal, reducing the need for transfers across the airport and a number of features will improve Heathrow’s environmental performance. Overall the Star Alliance member carriers offer 190 daily flights to 72 destinations in 41 countries for Heathrow.

Large north-facing windows in the roof will flood the terminal with natural light, reducing the need for artificial lighting, without generating uncomfortable levels of heat. Solar-panels on the roof will further reduce energy consumption and a new energy centre partially fuelled by renewable resources will provide heating and cooling.

Terminal 1 meanwhile has been completely modernised so that Star Alliance member airlines and their passengers can enjoy the best possible airport experience. A £60 million investment has seen all areas completely refurbished in order to create a spacious, more contemporary terminal. Examples include among others, the Star Alliance branded Zone K check-in area used by five member carriers or the Star Alliance First and Business Class Lounge. Until the opening of the new Terminal 2, the Star Alliance member carriers will be operating from Terminal 1 and 3.

The Queen’s Building was designed by architect Frederick Gibberd, who had been commissioned by the Ministry of Transport in 1950 to create designs for what was then Britain’s newest civil airport. Originally called the Eastern Apex Building, it was opened by Her Majesty the Queen in 1953 and re-named in her honour.

The building provided space for airport and airline offices; briefing rooms, a meteorological office and facilities for the airport’s press corps. On its roof were gardens and a viewing platform, which in 1956 became one of London’s most visited attractions. At one stage, it attracted more visitors than Windsor Castle, Madam Tussauds and the Tower of London.

Gibberd’s designs for the then new £22 million central terminal also included an air traffic control tower and the Europa Building which was eventually re-named ‘Terminal 2’. The current Terminal 2 will close at the end of 2009 so that it can also be demolished.

Ends
For further information please contact: Mary Kearney in the BAA Press Office on: 0208 745 7224 or the Star Alliance Press Office on: +49-69-96375183

Notes to Editors:
*based on current member carriers and confirmed future members Aegean Airlines, Air India, Continental and TAM.

BAA Capital Investment:
BAA are spending around £70 million per month on a major programme of work across the Heathrow to ensure passengers enjoy the best airport experience possible. Terminal 4 has been transformed with a £100m new check-in area and forecourt, creating an additional 6,000m2 of space. A refurbished check-in was opened at Terminal 3 this summer, and work continues on the complete modernisation of the terminal.

About Star Alliance:
The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer customers worldwide reach and a smooth travel experience. Star Alliance received the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award in 2008 and was voted Best Airline Alliance by Business Traveller Magazine in 2003, 2006, 2007,2008 and 2009 and by Skytrax in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009. The members are Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, bmi, EGYPTAIR, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Spanair, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI, United and US Airways. Regional member carriers Adria Airways (Slovenia), Blue1 (Finland) and Croatia Airlines enhance the global network. Aegean Airlines, Air India, Brussels Airlines, Continental Airlines and TAM have been announced as future members. Overall, the Star Alliance network offers 17,000 daily flights to 916 destinations in 160 countries.