Refurbishment plans unveiled by airport operator BAA promise to make travel through Heathrow Terminal 3 a better experience.
Work on the terminal’s forecourt and an extension to the south-east side of the building, due to be completed by the end of 2007, will also help alleviate traffic congestion, develop better routes for pedestrians and improve security.
The re-development of the forecourt will see the addition of a new four-lane drop-off area, giving passengers better access, a large pedestrianised plaza with a canopy in front of the terminal, providing a sheltered area for passengers, and a subway connecting the new plaza to the old subway.
An extension to the check-in will include a glass atrium on the front of the building’s south-east side, giving more space for circulation and check-in, a new stairway with lifts and escalators to provide better access to the departure area, and a new drive-thru check-in facility for Virgin Atlantic Upper Class passengers.
These changes represent “an important step towards transforming Heathrow into a modern gateway for the UK”, according to airport chief executive Tony Douglas.
Other airlines that fly from Terminal 3 besides Virgin Atlantic include Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways and Air Canada.
