All change at Heathrow

British Airways' move to Terminal 5 is engendering a domino effect as airlines and alliances shift across Heathrow. Many airlines are moving terminals.

Oneworld has already said it will reduce its occupation of Heathrow terminals from four to two, while rival Star Alliance is to start its long-planned 'Move under one Roof' scheme, to terminal 1, the home of its resident airline bmi, where all 20 member carriers are planned to move to one terminal by 2012, in several phases.

First Alliance carriers to shift into Terminal 1 following completion of current check-in demolition work will be Air New Zealand and United Airlines, which will move from crowded Terminal 3 on 10 June this year. Star Alliance says that it will also open the largest lounge in its whole network on 1 June for all first and business class passengers, as well as for all Gold Card holders travelling on any member carriers from Terminal 1. Bmi, South African Airways and United will also offer an arrivals lounge in Terminal 1 located outside the Customs Hall. Annual passenger numbers in Terminal 1 will fall from the current 23m to 15m by 2009, with a resulting improved passenger experience.

The second phase of the move is slated for the latter part of this year and will coincide with the closure of Terminal 2 as it makes way for the new Heathrow East. All Star Alliance members operating in the terminal - Austrian, Lufthansa, Swiss, TAP Portugal and regional member, Croatia Airlines, will move to Terminal 1 during October and November. At the same time, bmi will start to use a new check-in area featuring what the Alliance calls a 'linear layout' as opposed to the islands being used at the moment.

All other member carriers - Air Canada, Air China, ANA, Blue1, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai and Turkish Airlines (a new member) - will continue to use Terminal 3 until 2012. The Alliance says that up until then, passengers will benefit from a Terminal 3 upgrade to include check-in, gate area and lounge refurbishments, as well as enhanced baggage delivery systems.