Heathrow Terminal 4 to reopen next week

Heathrow Terminal 4 will open to travellers for the first time in more than two years on June 14 as the airport ramps up its capacity ahead of summer.

Qatar Airways will be the first carrier to return, with around 30 more airlines to fly back into the hub (pictured) over July.

Heathrow said the reopening next Tuesday would “free up space” in Terminals 2, 3, and 5, adding the pandemic had given it the “opportunity” to refurbish parts of Terminal 4.

The refurbishment included upgrading toilets, air conditioning and baggage screening machines.

Local buses, Piccadilly Line underground services, Transport For London rail and an inter-terminal transfer service will operate into T4 from June 14.

Heathrow confirmed a recruitment drive was underway to find 1,000 new security officers and added it was supporting airlines and handlers with their own recruitment programmes.

“We have increased our customer service team to help manage queues at check-in, make sure passengers are ready for security and make sure people can catch their flights,” an airport spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added operations across Heathrow had “run smoothly over the half term holiday as a result of good planning and collaboration between airport, airlines, handlers and Border Force”.

“At peak times there have been longer queues than usual at check-in, security, immigration and baggage reclaim, but it has been well organised and has kept moving,” they said.

Chief executive John Holland-Kaye said the airport was “years away” from passenger numbers returning to pre-pandemic levels.

“Reopening Terminal 4 will give airlines at Heathrow extra space across the airport, helping them manage the impact additional travel documents continue to have on check in times,” he said.

More: Heathrow Terminal 4 to be mothballed until end of 2021