Farewell Heathrow Terminal 4
Oct 29, 2009, 6:10 am
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,575
Good:
* The Rocket, of course
* My first short and long haul premium experiences (CE to AMS, Club to RUH)
* Many happy holiday departures (including my honeymoon)
Bad
* The queues
* Victor
* The queues
* Victor
* Overcrowded F lounge
* Many increasingly unhappy business trips.
* The Rocket, of course
* My first short and long haul premium experiences (CE to AMS, Club to RUH)
* Many happy holiday departures (including my honeymoon)
Bad
* The queues
* Victor
* The queues
* Victor
* Overcrowded F lounge
* Many increasingly unhappy business trips.
Oct 29, 2009, 6:58 am
#32
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PLH
Programs: Mucci Master of the Skies, Does anyone read any further than Mucci anyway? BAEC Blue
Posts: 696
My first memory of T4 is when we moved to South Africa in the mid 90's and being sat in the Lounge watching the ramp activity. As an excitable 9 year old I think that hooked me on flying. Since then I've flown many times from T4 with only 1 bad memmory of waiting nearly an hour for the bags to arrive of my flight from JFK.
Oct 29, 2009, 7:00 am
#33
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Berlin, Germany
Programs: LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 476
I shall join the queue of FT members who still consider T4 the new terminal.
T4 for me meant longhaul travel - for the better part of 18 months pre 2000, I went TXL-T1-T4-JFK at least twice a month, in D. Very fond memories of the World of Whisky at T4 (it is bad thing if their staff know you by name?).
T4 for me meant longhaul travel - for the better part of 18 months pre 2000, I went TXL-T1-T4-JFK at least twice a month, in D. Very fond memories of the World of Whisky at T4 (it is bad thing if their staff know you by name?).
Oct 29, 2009, 8:08 am
#34
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,525
I had the pleasure of being on BA15 last night- the final BA flight ever from T4... and 40 minutes late too just to prolong the agony! There were a few balloons tied round the check in desks, and all the boarding announcements were "British Airways flight 15 to Singapore and Sydney - the last ever BA departure from Terminal 4 etc etc".
After pushback from gate 3 and just before we taxied, the captain came on and explained it was the end of 23 years of BA ops at T4 and said "those of you on the right of the aircraft, if you look out of the windows you'll see a line of very enthusiastic groundstaff so if you can give them one final wave as we taxi they'll all wave back"... and they did. Awww, I was welling up.
After pushback from gate 3 and just before we taxied, the captain came on and explained it was the end of 23 years of BA ops at T4 and said "those of you on the right of the aircraft, if you look out of the windows you'll see a line of very enthusiastic groundstaff so if you can give them one final wave as we taxi they'll all wave back"... and they did. Awww, I was welling up.
Last edited by koksy; Oct 29, 2009 at 8:41 am
Oct 29, 2009, 8:09 am
#35
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: New York, NY, USA
Programs: BAGold; AA3MMPlat; UA1MMGold; FBGold; MarriottAmb; AccorPlat; HHGold; ICPlatAmb; HyattDiscoverist
Posts: 4,378
Mostly bad. Even my Concorde memories are not great, as I spent a great deal of unplanned time in the CR after they took us off one plane and had us wait for another.
Then there were all those walks to the far gates that felt like I was walking all the way back to London, hauling my stuff up and down the stairs because it was always a remote stand (even AFTER BA had moved so many flights out to T5), waiting forever for a checked bag when I decided NOT to haul my stuff up those stairs, standing for 20 minutes on the stairway to/from the UD waiting for them to find a bus for us so they could open the plane doors, that interminable security line for flight connections, and that nasty lady at the MB spa telling me no, I couldn't have a treatment because the next available slot was in 6 hours.
Then there were all those walks to the far gates that felt like I was walking all the way back to London, hauling my stuff up and down the stairs because it was always a remote stand (even AFTER BA had moved so many flights out to T5), waiting forever for a checked bag when I decided NOT to haul my stuff up those stairs, standing for 20 minutes on the stairway to/from the UD waiting for them to find a bus for us so they could open the plane doors, that interminable security line for flight connections, and that nasty lady at the MB spa telling me no, I couldn't have a treatment because the next available slot was in 6 hours.
Oct 29, 2009, 8:29 am
#36
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Brick Lane... much better than smelly Shoreditch!
Programs: BAEC, Blue for now.
Posts: 807
The little staff travel check-in room at the front of the terminal always seemed so much more civilised than any other staff check-in. Though walking away with a surprise Fcl boarding pass to Washington probably helped make the experience better.
Oct 29, 2009, 8:39 am
#37
Join Date: Aug 2006
Programs: BA Blue
Posts: 361
Our memories of Terminal 4 are all good and include our first upgrade to First, to YVR, and being told off by Mrs. DMF for having a nap after a long and liquid lunch on board instead of continuing to enjoy the first cabin.
The lovely view of the ring road and the baggage carts from the Gate 1 lounge followed by the long long trek to the end of the Victor pier for our flights to San Francisco and all the good memories that brings back.
And best of all on one of those flights just after pushing back the Captain coming over the intercom to say a passenger was not sure if all of the bags he checked in had been his.
This ending up with us being towed past Concord and parked up while suffering lots of champagne and nuts on the upper deck as container after container was pulled out and the passenger was taken off the plane to sort things out. Although this made us about 2 hours late arriving into SFO we were happy as this allowed us to recover from this liquid delay prior to landing.
DMF
The lovely view of the ring road and the baggage carts from the Gate 1 lounge followed by the long long trek to the end of the Victor pier for our flights to San Francisco and all the good memories that brings back.
And best of all on one of those flights just after pushing back the Captain coming over the intercom to say a passenger was not sure if all of the bags he checked in had been his.
This ending up with us being towed past Concord and parked up while suffering lots of champagne and nuts on the upper deck as container after container was pulled out and the passenger was taken off the plane to sort things out. Although this made us about 2 hours late arriving into SFO we were happy as this allowed us to recover from this liquid delay prior to landing.
DMF
Oct 29, 2009, 8:40 am
#38
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,922
I think it was great at the time that it was believed that Terminal 4 would solve most of Heathrows' problems. (hindsight is a great thing 
).
Disliked immensely ,Flight Connections, long walks to some gates and the closure of the Tube station to facilitate the T5 work (necessary evil).
I've always thought that Concorde was synonymous with T4.
Memories of T4 in the context of Concorde, are lots of passengers who were blase about flying the Rocket. Miserable bankers ??etc who just wanted to get back to NY , arriving late in the lounge and just nodding off on board....on the contra side were people like myself who loved every minute of it (wish I could say the same now about air travel).
Huge regret , not getting my Dad and Mum on it before it retired.
T4 7 out of 10.
).Disliked immensely ,Flight Connections, long walks to some gates and the closure of the Tube station to facilitate the T5 work (necessary evil).
I've always thought that Concorde was synonymous with T4.
Memories of T4 in the context of Concorde, are lots of passengers who were blase about flying the Rocket. Miserable bankers ??etc who just wanted to get back to NY , arriving late in the lounge and just nodding off on board....on the contra side were people like myself who loved every minute of it (wish I could say the same now about air travel).
Huge regret , not getting my Dad and Mum on it before it retired.
T4 7 out of 10.
Oct 29, 2009, 5:00 pm
#39
Join Date: Oct 2003
Programs: BAEC Silver, Junior Jet Club
Posts: 946
Remember walking into the thing when it opened, and thought it looked something like a cross between a factory and a train station - roof work means you can see the air con ducting.
It actually grew on me as I used it frequently in the 90s and 00s, and I didn't mind too much the Hatton Cross gates - benefit of being fit and young I suppose.
What I disliked was the extreme overcrowding later in its life - I never understood why it was used by a number of other airlines when BA was forced to use remote stands near the Cargo centre and beside the runway.
Now, what I really miss is Concorde, particularly as I never travelled on her...
It actually grew on me as I used it frequently in the 90s and 00s, and I didn't mind too much the Hatton Cross gates - benefit of being fit and young I suppose.
What I disliked was the extreme overcrowding later in its life - I never understood why it was used by a number of other airlines when BA was forced to use remote stands near the Cargo centre and beside the runway.
Now, what I really miss is Concorde, particularly as I never travelled on her...
Oct 29, 2009, 6:12 pm
#40
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: The OC ca usa
Programs: BA Blue forever!
Posts: 633
I loved T-4 because of the wonderful shops-the Harrod's food items and clothes and the wonderful souvenir stores. On our last trip home [in T5] we didn't find the souvenirs until just before boarding and had no time left. Our best trip through T4 was in 1989. We had just joined BAEC .We'd driven up to Scotland, saw the Royal Tatoo and the Scottish Games at Braemar-where we'd seen almost all the Royals and a few "stately homes". In London we priced averaged 2 hotels, one a real dump the other the Connaught. Then, at check-in we were put in CW! A great memory.
Oct 29, 2009, 6:38 pm
#41
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 371
That feeling late at night when everything is closing down and the terminal becomes less crowded and quiet, with only BA and QF departures left.
Sitting at the chairs overlooking 27L/9R and across the airfield with multi-coloured lights twinkling and T3 in the distance...the anticipation of another adventure only being broken every 2 mins by the roar of the last few heavies of the day dragging themselves into the air.
Sitting at the chairs overlooking 27L/9R and across the airfield with multi-coloured lights twinkling and T3 in the distance...the anticipation of another adventure only being broken every 2 mins by the roar of the last few heavies of the day dragging themselves into the air.
Oct 29, 2009, 7:20 pm
#42
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,275
That feeling late at night when everything is closing down and the terminal becomes less crowded and quiet, with only BA and QF departures left.
Sitting at the chairs overlooking 27L/9R and across the airfield with multi-coloured lights twinkling and T3 in the distance...the anticipation of another adventure only being broken every 2 mins by the roar of the last few heavies of the day dragging themselves into the air.
Sitting at the chairs overlooking 27L/9R and across the airfield with multi-coloured lights twinkling and T3 in the distance...the anticipation of another adventure only being broken every 2 mins by the roar of the last few heavies of the day dragging themselves into the air.
I used to feel like that when flying. Sadly, I lost it somewhere along the way.
Oct 30, 2009, 2:55 am
#43
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Lithgow, NSW
Programs: QF Bronze, Velocity
Posts: 1,049
I dont know if it was just me, but I always remember arriving off the early morning Australian flights, and there was ALWAYS a lovely turbaned Indian Immigration guy directing the queues. Every memory I have of arriving into T4 early in the morning either with my parents or not, involves that guy directing us into the "Non EU" queue.
Oct 30, 2009, 7:14 am
#45
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: YVR
Programs: Hilton*D, Marriott*LG, Hyatt*G
Posts: 6,268
T4 was the first European airport I ever set foot in -- it was during a European trip in my senior year of highschool, 33 of my fellow students went on a 3 week long tour through Germany and a little bit of France. We flew Y through LHR T4 to TXL on the way, and from CDG via LHR T4 on the way home. Having been to Japan quite a few times it was such a different experience as I remember seeing for the first time security personnel with machine guns and an airport where the departure gate was not announced until the last minute due to security reasons.
Oddly, this experience started a love affair with Europe and likely contributed to my spending 3 years of my life living in London, which, I flew BA F for the very first time.
My final memory of T4 was flying from LHR to JFK at the end of my 3 years in London surprising my Mom with a F ticket (she thought we were flying J) and seeing her enjoy champers in the Concorde Room first thing in the morning.
Lovely memories.....
Oddly, this experience started a love affair with Europe and likely contributed to my spending 3 years of my life living in London, which, I flew BA F for the very first time.
My final memory of T4 was flying from LHR to JFK at the end of my 3 years in London surprising my Mom with a F ticket (she thought we were flying J) and seeing her enjoy champers in the Concorde Room first thing in the morning.
Lovely memories.....