Earlier this evening, I passed through MAD T4/T4S. It's the first time I've been through for a couple of months and I couldn't help but compare it to LHR T5...

I might be in a minority here, so flame away... But I'm afraid for me, the clear winner - without a doubt - is MAD T4/T4S.

Architecturally, both buildings are the design of Richard Rogers (T4/T4S jointly with Antonio Lamela) but they are so different in concept. T5 seems almost like one of those awful Conran warehouse-type 'big is best' restaurants compared to the graceful design of T4/T4S.

T4/T4S's use of glass and light - and that breathtaking ceiling - gives a much calmer experience both when standing still or when walking towards either aircraft or exit than the rather monolithic design of T5.

The layout of T4/T4S is so much more simple and intuitive. Due to great signage, passengers appeared to gravitate naturally towards where they needed to go, which hasn't been the case with T5 in my personal experience. It's not just that T5 is new - it's just not intuitively designed. Also it's pretty disgraceful that BA can't fit all of its flights in the new terminal. Did no-one think about this when designing the terminal???

T4/T4S also has gleaming (but not slippery) marble floors rather than using material that looks like it belongs in an inner-city comprehensive school. It's a terminal making a statement of sophistication but not at the expense of functionality. I'm not sure what statement T5 is making... but in comparison with T4/T4S, it doesn't seem to score highly either in style or substance.

T4/T4S also gives a feeling of spaciousness and tranquility that you only really get in T5 when on the veranda of the FIRST lounge or CCR. Overall, T4/T4S appears much more harmonious with the traveller than T5 - which feels at times like it's fighting against the traveller.

Flame away!

Regards
/MHL