MPs warn BA over T5 long-haul flights

The next test for Heathrow's Terminal 5 will come when long-haul flights begin being transferred next month, MPs have warned.

Originally the plan was to move British Airways services to far-flung destinations - which account for nearly half of the airline's 80,000 passengers who pass through the airport each day - at the end of April.

But flights to airports such as Sydney and Hong Kong will now be switched over on a gradual basis to prevent further strain on the terminal. They will start on 5 June with the last at the end of October "at the latest", said Willie Walsh, BA chief executive.

Conservative David Wilshire, whose Spelthorne constituency covers a large part of Heathrow said: "Terminal 5 is ok at the moment but will it be ok when they bring more people in?"

In a statement to MPs, BA said it "regrets" the delay and recognised the impact it will have on Heathrow's airline relocation programme.

But, Mr Walsh said the company believed that staggering the transfer of long-haul flights would be in the "interests of all users of the airport."

Other airlines, including Britain's second largest carrier bmi, have complained that their own schedules to move into other parts of Heathrow have been ruined by BA which is being given preferential treatment.

Speaking to the Commons transport committee yesterday, Mr Walsh said delays to the building of the terminal had led to a compromise on both baggage systems testing and staff familiarisation with the terminal's workings.

The 27 March opening of the £4.3 billion building descended into chaos, as hundreds of flights were cancelled and thousands of items of baggage lost.

Baggage systems failed while staff struggled with parking, access and security problems in what was seen as a disaster for BA and airports operator BAA, owned by Spain's Ferrovial.