British Airways will not move its long-haul operations to Heathrow Airport’s new Terminal 5 until June.
The carrier had been scheduled to move long-haul flights, including transatlantic service, to Terminal 5 on April 30. British Airways currently uses Terminal 4 for long-haul service.
British Airways CEO Willy Walsh said Terminal 5 is now “working well” after a disastrous start, but added that the airline “needs to have confidence that good service can be maintained when the terminal is handling larger numbers of customers.”
In its first week-and-a-half at the $8.6 billion terminal, British Airways had to cancel hundreds of flights. When the facility opened on March 27, the baggage-routing system failed, creating havoc for British Airways and its customers.
The airline and the British Airports Authority (BAA) said, “We will work together to iron out any remaining problems, including the baggage system and its operation, and develop a robust timescale for phasing the move of Terminal 4 services into Terminal 5.”
Colin Matthews, BAA's CEO, said, "BAA regrets this postponement, and we recognize the impact it has on other airlines, but we believe it is a wise precaution to ensure that passengers can have the maximum confidence once the move does take place.”