News Home

Navigation

By Sky News SkyNews - Friday, May 9 12:06 pm

British Airways is to start moving its long-haul flights to Heathrow's Terminal 5 in a month's time, it has announced.

Eight long-haul flights, including services to New York, will be transferred from Terminal 4 on June 5.

BA chief executive Willie Walsh said the rest of the flights will be moved in phases.

The news comes days after he was grilled by MPs on the chaotic scenes when T5 opened on March 27.

Dozens of flights were cancelled and luggage went astray after problems developed with the baggage handling system.

The destinations of the other flights being transferred on June 5 are Bangalore, Beijing, Cairo, Cape Town, Lagos, Phoenix and Abuja in Nigeria.

Together with the New York service, they account for about a quarter of BA's Terminal 4 schedule.

Mr Walsh said: "As we announced on April 11, we will move our Terminal 4 long-haul programme into Terminal 5 in phases.

"We have taken this decision in the interests of customers, who remain our priority at all times."

He added: "T5 is now working well."

Colin Matthews, chief executive of Heathrow operator BAA, said: "I am pleased that we have reached this decision jointly.

"BAA and BA have worked together effectively to resolve the initial problems at T5, and to plan this next move."