Queen opens controversial Terminal 5

The new terminal, imagined 20 years ago, and only finally realised today, promises to provide a swifter and more pleasant experience when it opens its doors to British Airways passengers later this month.

It's as big as Hyde Park: 30m people will pass through it every year; there are 150 check-in desks, 105 lifts, 10 miles of baggage conveyor belts and 800 toilets.

But it is not popular with everyone. It's a building that's been controversial from its inception - a symbol either of contemporary transport or the dangers of airport expansion and climate change.

And the grand opening has been marred by a series of security breaches at Heathrow.

Security has been tight, following yesterday's breach, when an intruder managed to scale the northern perimeter fence and ran towards the runway before he was tackled by armed police and detained.

It's still not been revealed exactly who he is.

Last month Greenpeace said they found it easy to climb onto an airbus to stage a protest.

Just as Terminal Five was unveiled this morning, Europe's leaders were discussing climate change in Brussels. They've pledged to set legally binding targets to cut carbon emissions by a fifth by 2020. Some see contradictions here.

Share this article

Send this article to a friend »

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Reddit
• Facebook
• StumbleUpon

What are these?