Heathrow’s Terminal Five Opens for Business after Inauguration by Queen

On March 14th, Queen Elizabeth II inaugurated the new Terminal Five complex at Heathrow Airport, but the facility did not officially opened for business until today. The structure work began back in September, 2002 and it has taken about 100 million manpower hours to complete the spacious building.

Below is the entire speech by Queen Elizabeth II at the March 14th inaugural opening of Heathrow Airport Terminal Five.

"I am delighted to be here at Heathrow today, to join these special celebrations and formally to declare Terminal Five ready for business."

"Looking around this bright and airy space with its clean, efficient layout, I am sure that many millions of travellers will have reason to be appreciative of the thought and care that has gone into the design, construction, and ongoing maintenance of this significant new terminal. It provides an encouraging illustration of what can be achieved through working in partnership, and it says a good deal about how the essential considerations of passenger comfort, effective security, and quality of service, can be combined with the ever more important requirement of environmental responsibility."

"My warmest congratulations go to everyone who has worked on this highly impressive building; it embodies many achievements, of which you can all be rightly proud."

"So today, it gives me great pleasure to open Terminal Five - this twenty-first century gateway to Britain - and, for us, to the wider world."

Information regarding the gradual transition of flights to Heathrow Airport Terminal Five can be read here.

Photo: Associated Press/Paul Grover