NewbieRunner

Some early media coverage of the first day.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-27691651
http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...rst-passengers
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/ar...-T5-chaos.html
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/trans...t-9484127.html

Lion06Fish

At the moment UA is the only carrier operating out of T2. The departure lounge is spacious with an interesting variety of shops and places to eat for all budgets (Yo sushi, Giraffe, Eat, Leon).

It is a bit of a walk from the main DF area to the UA gates (one elevator, 3 moving walkways, 2 escalators)....but take the time to see the United Club and the Global First Lounge (another elevator up) located at B1. Both have a buffet but the GFL has a la carte breakfast/lunch/dinner option. You can order a Full English Breakfast, Eggs Benedict w/ turkey or smoked salmon, Pancakes....Thai green chicken curry; sweet potato, butternut & goat's cheese tart; hot topped chef's salad; beetroot/apple/watercress salad w/ brie; minted pea&chili soup; butternut squash soup.
You may choose to have table service nearly anywhere in the GF lounge (you may not want to do this in the sound proof office rooms). There are 4 dedicated chefs for the GFL and I was assured that a chef will always be on site whenever the GFL is available.

The shower facilities are accessible through the United Club....the private shower/bathroom is large and there is a small valet closet located by the sink. Hang your clothes in the valet closet, flip the switch to turn on the red light and then close the door....after your shower/refresh....look through the portal to see if the light has turned blue, that will indicate your clothes have been returned to you freshly pressed.

Only critique: the locks for the bathroom are rather low (below door handle--so if you are tall, take a deep knee bend) and unless you close the lid on the toilet, you won't find the button to flush. Toilets in the GF lounge are marked male/female but they are identical to each other.
BTW, the sound-proof rooms: 2 in GF lounge, I believe 5-7 in UC.
Baby changing facilities only located in disabled bathrooms.

Cool factor: Check out the Big Ben clock face.

lhrsfo

Perhaps UA is trying to teach its customers how to behave properly.

NewbieRunner

Toilets in the main part of the terminal are fitted with sensors that anonymously count the number of people who use them. They send alerts to cleaners after a certain number of people have entered.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27740545

antichef

Do you mean teaching men to put the seat down? ;-)

MADPhil

Having once read that flushing an open toilet can spread fecal bacteria for thirty feet I am all in favour of people putting the lid down. That it also forces people to put the seat down could be seen as a bonus. It does lead one to wonder about the public health implications of lidless public toilets.

jib71

Not the seat. The lid.
(And, therefore, not only men but also women).

kirkwoodj

Anyone know where the liquid nitrogen ice cream is available? It was mentioned, but didn't say which restaurant.

Nevermind, it's in The Perfectionists' Cafe airside!

antichef

.... to put the lid down to flush, you HAVE to put the seat down - even if only as an unintended consequence.

jib71

Deleted.

FTcadence

59 years after Queen Elizabeth II opened LHR's original T2, the Queen unveiled a commemorative plaque that will be installed in the new T2.



http://www.businesstraveller.com/new...ns-heathrow-t2

Markie

My picture from the first day. I was the first person through Fast Track!

NewbieRunner

Another airline may be moving in soon.



https://www.facebook.com/starallianc...7415183986530/

NewbieRunner

It looks like TG and TK will not move to T2 today as planned due to "unplanned testing" of baggage systems. Both TG and TK have mysteriously disappeared from the list of airlines and their planned move dates on LHR and Star Alliance websites.

http://buyingbusinesstravel.com/news...urkish-t2-move

Christopher

I read somewhere that the move of these two airlines to Terminal 2 at Heathrow has been delayed "indefinitely" - this doesn't necessarily mean that the move will be delayed for a long time, but it does mean that no new date for the move has been set.