How's T1 (minus BA)?

[G-ARZG]

Anyone been thru' there since BA moved out?
Knowing BAA, 85% less flights means 90% less security staff.

[apaddyinuk]

Well I arrived in (as crew) on the BA026 from HKG on the 27th and then went straight over to t1 to catch my flight home. I was amazed at how empty it seemed, almost all BA signage had already been removed (it was only 0730am on the first day without BA) and the only place that seemed to be full of BA staff was zone R.

[PAXboy]

The main T5 thread in R&N has people saying that BMI reached 100% on time dispatch rate for the first time in a year - because BA were out of the way and not getting in the way.

[45378]

Well not quite w/o BA.
Arrived last night (Sat) from MAD with BA to a deserted T1, with remarkably quick baggage reclaim. The only reduction seemed to be on immigration where there was just one official on EU passports - well if you ignore the second one who spent all her time distracting the first one.
Fortunately I was able to help the visitors from Sweden confirm that they were in the right terminal/ locate their baggage because if it had been left to the folk on immigration they'd still be there now.

[bhd-lonFLYer]

So what has happened to BA's domestic gate(5 i think) has bmi taken-over? I hope so as i hate domestic gate 2 (bmi's belfast flights).

[apaddyinuk]

Well last Thursday morning it was all blocked off so perhaps they are giving it a facelift before using it for anything. But I imagine that T1 will be a bit of a mare over the next few months as the authorities give it a do-over prior to the Star Alliance switch in a few months time. Also this refurbishment will need to tie the terminal over until Heathrow East is ready to open its doors!!!!

[ZFT]

the Star Alliance switch in a few months time


Oh please tell me this is true. No more ridiculous queuing to get dropped off at T3.

[K.Whyjelly]

2008 is the year that all of the Star Alliance carriers move to T1. In the spring there is to be the opening of an arrivals lounge for Star pax followed by a refurbishment of the departure facilities. The first of the Alliance partners is then penciled in to start moving in. In pole position to make the move is US Airways in April, followed by United and Air New Zealand in June and all other S.A carriers currently in T2 moving by November

[ZFT]

K.Whyjelly,

What is the timescale for remaining T3 Star Alliance members e,g. TG, SQ, Air Canada etc ?

[K.Whyjelly]

ZFT

Sorry mate I don't know the answer to your Q.......just relayed the small snippet of info above that came from an in house publication. Hopefully somebody with more insight into the move will be able to furnish you with the details you want :ok:

[ZFT]

K.Whyjelly,

OK Thanks. (Over the years I've really got to detest T3. Those 'wonderful signs', We apologise for the inconvenience but................as you walk past the multitude of inop escalators, hence my desire to see the back of it) .

[The_Banking_Scot]

Hi ZFT;

Some information from flyertalk;

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=805298

Looks like it is between 2008 and 2012- so over a long timescale.

Regards

TBS

[ZFT]

The_Banking_Scot,

Thanks for the info. Seems like retirement will beat the T1 move!!!

[strake]

T1 appears to be the complete opposite to T5 at the moment...

Met someone coming in on 18:15 BMI from Domodedovo and arrivals was like a ghost town....marvellous...!

Parked at the short term across the road, right next to the ramp. Crossed into the terminal where there were only about 10 people waiting for 4 or so flights to come in. Cafe and shops pleasantly easy to get around and my visitor said Immigration was straight through. Back into the car and on to the M25 in about 10 minutes

Flying to JFK from T3 on Tuesday so interesting to see if any difference there.

[apaddyinuk]

Latest update.

Zones C to J are boarded off and I assume they are being removed to make way for the new check in desks along the retail wall.

All BA flights now check-in in the former premium checkin area Zone R.

Aer Lingus and Icelandair have moved to Zone K and the EI ticket desk now takes up part of the old BA ticket desk.

BA's domestic Gate 5 appears to be all boarded up and closed to travellers. However I have seen BA 757's parked along it so I wonder if they are bussing passengers.

[Skipness One Echo]

Is there still a domestic departure routing only for BMI ? I saw about six BA B757s on the old domestics along with a Finnair A320. Are BA no longer using the Europier?

[bhd-lonFLYer]

Just found out that gate 5 will eventually become bmi's new international gates so that the old domestic area will become a bmi only area for all bmi flights(domestic and international).

[bealine]

BA's domestic Gate 5 appears to be all boarded up and closed to travellers. However I have seen BA 757's parked along it so I wonder if they are bussing passengers.

The Gate will open again in about four weeks exclusively for British Airways' International Flights operated by B757's - Madrid, Lisbon, Barcelona, Nice, Helsinki. Finnair operated flights to Helsinki, handled by BA, may also have access to Gate 5.

[Nubboy]

The last couple of weeks operating in have been wonderful. No equipment from another operator littering the stands.Plonk it down, taxi round and park! BLISS:D

[dubh12000]

Went through gate 5 with BA to Nice yesterday. 3 757 loads in the departures area and you couldn't swing a cat.

Those "new" transfer desks where the vodafone shop used to be look awful! They must be temporary, aren't they??

Also, I noticed the EI and BM Irish departures listing on the main departures screens (gates 80 to 90). Can you now mingle in the main airside T1 area for Ireland, or are you still corralled off down the "silver tubes"?

[apaddyinuk]

Still off down the Silver Tubes I am afraid, the one part of T1 that has not changed in 15 years only to become more and more grubbier and crowded!!!

I am however getting a little annoyed with BMI lately, they have a terrible habit of parking inbound DUB flights by their dom gates and bussing the passengers to baggage reclaim as ROI pax cannot pass through the domestic channels...but then when you getup the stairs from the bus you are slap bang in the domestic baggage reclaim (just a few hundred yards from the parking stand and direct walk from the plane) and resulting in a battle with a BAA official to be allowed into the baggage claim for ROI flights!!!! :ugh:

[Skipness One Echo]

Why is there a need to segregate Irish passengers if Gate 5 is being used internationally?