• Heathrow Airport in London, the UK's busiest, has been a travel hub for decades. Here The National takes a look back at Heathrow through the years. All photos: Getty Images
    Heathrow Airport in London, the UK's busiest, has been a travel hub for decades. Here The National takes a look back at Heathrow through the years. All photos: Getty Images
  • An Airco De Havilland biplane of the British airline, Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited, about to leave on the company’s inaugural flight from Hounslow Heath Aerodrome, later known as Heathrow, to Le Bourget, Paris, in August 1919
    An Airco De Havilland biplane of the British airline, Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited, about to leave on the company’s inaugural flight from Hounslow Heath Aerodrome, later known as Heathrow, to Le Bourget, Paris, in August 1919
  • Waterlogged runways at London Airport - Heathrow's original name - one week before it became Britain's main aerial gateway to the US in 1946
    Waterlogged runways at London Airport - Heathrow's original name - one week before it became Britain's main aerial gateway to the US in 1946
  • The new BOAC maintenance headquarters at London Airport circa 1955
    The new BOAC maintenance headquarters at London Airport circa 1955
  • The air traffic control room at the airport's new terminal in 1955
    The air traffic control room at the airport's new terminal in 1955
  • US film star Marilyn Monroe with her husband, playwright Arthur Miller, after arriving at the airport in July 1956
    US film star Marilyn Monroe with her husband, playwright Arthur Miller, after arriving at the airport in July 1956
  • An aerial view showing the runways in 1958
    An aerial view showing the runways in 1958
  • The arrivals and departures board in 1960
    The arrivals and departures board in 1960
  • A new airport gift shop, selling items by Chanel, Wedgwood and Pringle of Scotland, in 1961
    A new airport gift shop, selling items by Chanel, Wedgwood and Pringle of Scotland, in 1961
  • The Queen's Building and the No. 1 Building Europa at Heathrow in 1965
    The Queen's Building and the No. 1 Building Europa at Heathrow in 1965
  • The Beatles leave Heathrow for Salzburg in Austria, to resume filming of the movie Help!, in 1965
    The Beatles leave Heathrow for Salzburg in Austria, to resume filming of the movie Help!, in 1965
  • Passenger terminal gates at Heathrow in 1966
    Passenger terminal gates at Heathrow in 1966
  • Keith Granville, managing director of BOAC, holding up a model of the Boeing 747 jet, with the new aircraft hangars under construction in the background, at Heathrow in 1969
    Keith Granville, managing director of BOAC, holding up a model of the Boeing 747 jet, with the new aircraft hangars under construction in the background, at Heathrow in 1969
  • An aerial view of Heathrow in 1970
    An aerial view of Heathrow in 1970
  • Passengers boarding the first BOAC Jumbo Jet 747 used for a commercial flight, from London Heathrow to New York, in 1971
    Passengers boarding the first BOAC Jumbo Jet 747 used for a commercial flight, from London Heathrow to New York, in 1971
  • Passengers going through the departure lounge at Heathrow in 1973
    Passengers going through the departure lounge at Heathrow in 1973
  • Concorde takes off from Heathrow on her first commercial flight for British Airways in 1976
    Concorde takes off from Heathrow on her first commercial flight for British Airways in 1976
  • Men at work finalising the Heathrow Central underground station before its opening in 1977
    Men at work finalising the Heathrow Central underground station before its opening in 1977
  • Queen Elizabeth II passing though the Tube gates at Heathrow Central station on its opening in 1977
    Queen Elizabeth II passing though the Tube gates at Heathrow Central station on its opening in 1977
  • An aerial view of Heathrow in 1978
    An aerial view of Heathrow in 1978
  • Passengers waiting near a departures board in 1979
    Passengers waiting near a departures board in 1979
  • Holidaymakers waiting in the departure lounge at Terminal 3 of Heathrow in 1981
    Holidaymakers waiting in the departure lounge at Terminal 3 of Heathrow in 1981
  • British Airways employees protesting at Heathrow in 1984
    British Airways employees protesting at Heathrow in 1984
  • Passengers and staff observe a silence in Heathrow's Terminal One to mark the beginning of the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997
    Passengers and staff observe a silence in Heathrow's Terminal One to mark the beginning of the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997
  • Rower Steve Redgrave at Heathrow with daughters Sophie and Natalie and son Zak after returning from the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games with his gold medal
    Rower Steve Redgrave at Heathrow with daughters Sophie and Natalie and son Zak after returning from the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games with his gold medal
  • Spectators watch the last Concorde land at Heathrow in 2003
    Spectators watch the last Concorde land at Heathrow in 2003
  • Fans surround the coach carrying the England rugby team at Heathrow, as they arrived from Sydney after winning the World Cup in 2003
    Fans surround the coach carrying the England rugby team at Heathrow, as they arrived from Sydney after winning the World Cup in 2003
  • Heathrow's Terminal 2 in 2004
    Heathrow's Terminal 2 in 2004
  • Passengers queue to check in at Terminal 1 of Heathrow Airport during the Christmas 2006 and New Year period
    Passengers queue to check in at Terminal 1 of Heathrow Airport during the Christmas 2006 and New Year period
  • Passengers wait at Terminal 1 on August 10, 2006, after airport security was raised to critical when a terrorist plot to blow up planes in mid-flight from the UK to the US was disrupted by police
    Passengers wait at Terminal 1 on August 10, 2006, after airport security was raised to critical when a terrorist plot to blow up planes in mid-flight from the UK to the US was disrupted by police
  • Planes queueing to take off at Heathrow in 2007
    Planes queueing to take off at Heathrow in 2007
  • The new Terminal 5 at Heathrow in 2008
    The new Terminal 5 at Heathrow in 2008
  • Aircraft at Heathrow Airport in front of the London skyline in 2016
    Aircraft at Heathrow Airport in front of the London skyline in 2016
  • Members of Team GB arrive from Rio de Janeiro at Heathrow, after returning from the 2016 Olympics, which saw Great Britain's strongest performance at the Games in over a century
    Members of Team GB arrive from Rio de Janeiro at Heathrow, after returning from the 2016 Olympics, which saw Great Britain's strongest performance at the Games in over a century
  • A composite photo shows planes taking off from Heathrow in November 2016. Forty-two planes were captured between 10.17am and 11.17am and a montage was created from those single images
    A composite photo shows planes taking off from Heathrow in November 2016. Forty-two planes were captured between 10.17am and 11.17am and a montage was created from those single images
  • Items are arranged during an auction preview at Heathrow in 2018. The contents of Terminal 1, which closed in 2015, were being sold
    Items are arranged during an auction preview at Heathrow in 2018. The contents of Terminal 1, which closed in 2015, were being sold
  • An airline passenger wearing a face mask pushes her bags through Heathrow's Terminal 5 during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020
    An airline passenger wearing a face mask pushes her bags through Heathrow's Terminal 5 during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020
  • British Airways employees welcome Olympians returning from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021
    British Airways employees welcome Olympians returning from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021
  • Travellers wait in a long queue to pass through the security check in 2022
    Travellers wait in a long queue to pass through the security check in 2022

London Heathrow Airport's terminals explained: what's on offer and why there are only four


Laura O'Callaghan
  • English
  • Arabic

London’s Heathrow Airport is gearing up for a busy summer season, with Terminal 4 coming out of mothballs, in the hope of recovering from the massive blows it suffered due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The UK’s busiest airport suffered its worst financial year in 2021, with passenger numbers deep-diving to their lowest levels in nearly 50 years.

Despite its current passenger levels being 23 per cent behind forecast, Heathrow expects to meet its target of serving 45.5 million travellers by the end of 2022.

This week Heathrow’s boss unveiled plans to increase the capacity of the airport by reopening Terminal 4 by July to cater for the expected surge in travel. The UK dropped most of its travel restrictions in February, and many countries who have yet to do so are expected to take a more relaxed approach over the coming months.

Heathrow is hoping for a strong summer season to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic. Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Heathrow is hoping for a strong summer season to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic. Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Heathrow customers’ experience as they prepare to board their flight varies drastically depending on which terminal they are flying from.

So what services are on offer at each terminal?

Terminal 1

Effectively, there is no Terminal 1. Passengers on London Underground's Piccadilly Line might notice stops for Terminals 2,3,4 and 5. That's because it closed in 2015 and is no longer in use. It wasn't even the first terminal at Heathrow. It was opened in 1968, and the previous buildings, known as Europa and Britannic combined to become Terminal 2, while Oceanic became Terminal 3.

Terminal 2

Airlines using this terminal, which was originally built in the mid-1950s include British Airways, Etihad, Egyptair, United Airlines, American Airlines, Lufthansa and Air Canada.

Travellers can pick up last-minute purchases from Harrods and a wide range of high-end fashion brands, such as Bulgari, Burberry, Kate Spade, Kurt Geiger, Saint Laurent, Ted Baker and Bottega Veneta.

The British chef Heston Blumenthal has a restaurant there, The Perfectionists’ Cafe, which invites guests to “dine in style”.

Travellers can also find food and beverages at Yo!, Pret A Manger, Leon and two British-themed pubs – London’s Pride and Big Smoke.

For a more upmarket experience, travellers could splash out at Caviar House & Prunier seafood bar.

Terminal 3

Domestic and international flights operate from the terminal, which serves major carriers including Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Airlines, Qantas and China Airlines and opened in 1961.

Here, travellers can get their hands on items from designer names such as Chanel, Fendi, Hermes, Gucci, Harrods, Kurt Geiger and Louis Vuitton.

Mac Cosmetics also has a store in the terminal and fine jewellery is on offer at Tiffany & Co, Watches of Switzerland and Cartier.

Jo Malone, a candle and fragrance shop popular with celebrities, also has a branch there.

For dining, travellers have the option of Pret A Manger, Wagamama or Caffe Nero, among others. For people willing to spend more, there are EL&N London, The Curator and Caviar House Oyster Bar, all of which are unique to Terminal 3 and not in any other part of the airport

Terminal 4

This terminal, which opened in 1986, has been closed to passengers throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

But in December last year, Heathrow temporarily opened Terminal 4 for arrivals from red-list nations, to separate them from travellers from lower-risk countries.

People arriving from red-list nations were required to spend 11 nights quarantining in a hotel upon landing.

The stricter travel rules were ushered in after the highly transmissible Omicron Covid variant was found in Britain.

The red list was scrapped in December and Terminal 4 was once again deserted.

Heathrow has said it plans to reopen the terminal by July to help the airport cope with the expected increase in passenger numbers over the summer.

Terminal 5

This terminal opened in 2008 and is usually reserved for two airlines, British Airways and Iberia. The majority of BA's flights go from this terminal.

This terminal offers a wide range of cafes and restaurants to cater for a variety of tastes. Many of the outlets are not found in the other terminals.

British chef and TV star Gordon Ramsay has his Plane Food restaurant there, while Starbucks, Itsu and Giraffe are also unique to T5.

Fortnum & Mason Bar offers signature “in-flight picnics”, while diners at Kanishka Kitchen are served Michelin Star-quality Indian cuisine.

The terminal also features the Pilots Bar & Kitchen, a vintage-inspire brasserie which serves classic British and international dishes.

Pre-flight shopping includes big names such as Dior, Gucci, Harrods, Hermes, Kurt Geiger, Louis Vuitton, Montblanc, Prada, Reiss, Rituals, Fortnum & Mason, Rolex and Watches of Switzerland.

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Match info

UAE v Bolivia, Friday, 6.25pm, Maktoum bin Rashid Stadium, Dubai

SQUADS

UAE
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice-captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan

Nepal
Paras Khadka (captain), Gyanendra Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Pradeep Airee, Binod Bhandari, Avinash Bohara, Sundeep Jora, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Rohit Paudel, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Basant Regmi, Pawan Sarraf, Bhim Sharki, Aarif Sheikh

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BIOSAFETY LABS SECURITY LEVELS

Biosafety Level 1

The lowest safety level. These labs work with viruses that are minimal risk to humans.

Hand washing is required on entry and exit and potentially infectious material decontaminated with bleach before thrown away.

Must have a lock. Access limited. Lab does not need to be isolated from other buildings.

Used as teaching spaces.

Study microorganisms such as Staphylococcus which causes food poisoning.

Biosafety Level 2

These labs deal with pathogens that can be harmful to people and the environment such as Hepatitis, HIV and salmonella.

Working in Level 2 requires special training in handling pathogenic agents.

Extra safety and security precautions are taken in addition to those at Level 1

Biosafety Level 3

These labs contain material that can be lethal if inhaled. This includes SARS coronavirus, MERS, and yellow fever.

Significant extra precautions are taken with staff given specific immunisations when dealing with certain diseases.

Infectious material is examined in a biological safety cabinet.

Personnel must wear protective gowns that must be discarded or decontaminated after use.

Strict safety and handling procedures are in place. There must be double entrances to the building and they must contain self-closing doors to reduce risk of pathogen aerosols escaping.

Windows must be sealed. Air from must be filtered before it can be recirculated.

Biosafety Level 4

The highest level for biosafety precautions. Scientist work with highly dangerous diseases that have no vaccine or cure.

All material must be decontaminated.

Personnel must wear a positive pressure suit for protection. On leaving the lab this must pass through decontamination shower before they have a personal shower.

Entry is severely restricted to trained and authorised personnel. All entries are recorded.

Entrance must be via airlocks.

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Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)

T20 World Cup Qualifier A, Muscat

Friday, February 18: 10am - Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm - Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain

Saturday, February 19: 10am - Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm - UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain

Monday, February 21: 10am - Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm - Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines

Tuesday, February 22: 2pm – semi-finals

Thursday, February 24: 2pm – final

UAE squad: Ahmed Raza (captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia

All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv

The specs

Engine: 0.8-litre four cylinder

Power: 70bhp

Torque: 66Nm

Transmission: four-speed manual

Price: $1,075 new in 1967, now valued at $40,000

On sale: Models from 1966 to 1970

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Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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Stars: 3

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Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Updated: February 24, 2022, 4:38 PM