News

T5: condition not terminal

Up to 2,000 travel buyers and agents are being given the chance to experience Heathrow's new Terminal 5 in an effort to restore confidence in the facility following its disastrous opening.

British Airways is to invite buyers on short familiarisation trips departing from the terminal throughout the winter season.

"It is key for us to use our trade partners as ambassadors," said Richard Tams, BA's general manager, UK and global corporate sales.

BA wants to reassure its best customers that the terminal's earlier baggage problems are now over and for those from the regions to be confident about the fate of transfer bags processed at T5.

BA already has 800 agents pencilled in for day and overnight trips from now until March. Tams said he particularly wanted to target those from Scotland and the North of England to stress how easy it was to transfer at T5.

"We're working to promote it over Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Charles de Gaulle," he said.

BA moves another 29 long-haul flights to T5 on September 17.