View Full Version : Is Heathrow T5 a good idea?
SpeedBird22
1st May 2001, 02:32
Hi everyone,
Right. This thread has got two purposes really.
Firstly, I'd like to find out what the latest is on the plans to build the new terminal LHR. Last I heard BAA had spent a fairly hefty figure on preparation of the sewage works and other stuff even though approval hadn't been given.
Secondly, I'd be interested to hear views on whether LHR really needs another terminal. Is the airport already at capacity?
Cheers,
:) SpeedBird22 :)
Runways at LHR might be near capacity, but the terminals are bursting at the seams. A new terminal is needed, if anything to be a flagship for Britain. How embarrassed we should be compared to the new airports elsewhere. Construction date - just wait until the election is out of the way and you'll hear soon enough.
Rod
From an ATC point of view, T5 is needed.
As EDDNR says, the runways are near enough at capacity, but the terminals are waaaaaaay over capacity. On a busy day this summer I'd say that nearly one in three inbound aircraft will have to wait on the taxiway because its parking gate is still occupied by an aircraft yet to depart. Have more than three or four aircraft waiting for stands and the whole airport virtually grinds to a halt, because they mostly have to hold on active taxiways. This is exasperated by the new large aircraft now coming into service. There are only a handful of gates that can handle the 777-300 (thankfully we only get 1 a day with Emirates at the moment), even fewer for the soon to fly A340-500/600. There are areas through which 747s, 777s, A330s, A340s cannot taxi because their wigtips would take big chunks of terminal building with them.
All of this will pale into insignificance when we start seeing A380s coming in. Carnage!
And have you been inside Terminal 2 when an A330 or 777 arrives. You just cannot move in there? And something else that has always concerned me, the check-in floor in T2, well, let me say that I'm 5'8, and it feels like I'm only a few cm from the ceiling!
Oh yeah, and we need a new tower as well!
Gonzo
Edited (twice) for poor punctuation. Doh!
[This message has been edited by Gonzo (edited 01 May 2001).]
[This message has been edited by Gonzo (edited 01 May 2001).]
Do we need Terminal Five? No.
Do we need a second runway at Stansted? Yes.
Time to stop thinking "Heathrow" and start thinking "London"
Herod
Despite your personal view, Stansted is just not popular with customers. Just look at the area north of 27R (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?grid2map?X=506500&Y=176500&zoom=4) if you want an idea where LHR should place a third runway in n years time.
Rod