Airport Review: the Lowdown on London Heathrow

In Yahoo Travel’s new Airport Review series, we dissect everything you need to know—from check-in to take off to landing. Oh, and curious what it takes to get a perfect, 5-star rating? A hotel beyond security check—and not many pass the test. 

A nighttime view of London Heathrow's about-to-open Terminal 2. (Courtesy: Heathrow)

Airport Star Rating: 3.5 stars. Heathrow's new terminals are boosting its score, but the airport still has a ways to go with its staff and its disconnected buildings.

The Good: Heathrow is one of the most connected international airports on the planet. And a new, $20 billion master plan is aiming to craft a travel experience as sophisticated as London itself: outdated terminals are being redesigned, new ones are being built. The most notable development is the Queen’s Terminal (Terminal 2), opening in June and devoted to Star Alliance airlines. This glass-lined facility, with a $4 billion-plus pricetag—five times the cost of the 2012 Olympic Stadium—will lower minimum connection times to an hour, an impressive feat for an airport of Heathrow’s size and complexity.

The Bad: The airport’s existing terminals are still aging and disjointed. Connections between terminals (even with the same airline or alliance) involve a bus and never-ending hallways. Moving walkways are not always available to speed the journey along.

Walkability: Get ready for long walks between security, shopping, and gates—though Terminal 2 will give passengers immediate access to the gate areas, within sight of the retail and dining courtyard.

(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Security and Immigration: Power-tripping security staffers are notoriously unfriendly. At best, it is an indifferent experience. True, no one loves going dealing with security anywhere, but agents could use some customer-service training. Immigration is a similar process, with officers exhibiting a robotic approach as they ask every possible detail about why someone is entering the U.K.—who do you know, how do you know them, where will you shop, what will you buy, what size? Ok that last one is a stretch, but we wouldn’t put it past them.

Delays: With only two runways, one of the world’s busiest airports can grind to a halt in bad weather. There is also little tarmac space, so taxiways and alleyways between terminals can become jammed, leading to greater delays. Once the airport’s master plan is complete, the terminals will be redesigned (the process is already halfway complete with Terminal 5—and soon to be, 2). This change will increase taxiing space and help reduce delays.

Richard Wilson’s “Slipstream” installation in Terminal 2. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Public Spaces: Until now, public spaces were practically unheard of in Heathrow’s cramped, old terminals. Terminal 5 made some strides, but the new Terminal 2 is getting pre-opening raves for its public courtyard marked by the “Slipstream” sculpture, designed by British artist Richard Wilson. It is as large as a Boeing 747-400 aircraft, and its winding aluminum surface is meant to depict the passage of air over an aircraft’s wing. There’s also an outdoor terrace to watch planes taking off and landing.

Plugs/Charging Outlets: No more searching on hands and knees; each terminal has power charging stations throughout where people can plug in phones or laptops via UK, European, or USB outlets.

Transportation: Heathrow Express connects Paddington Station to the terminals in less than 20 minutes, but it costs a pretty pound (starting at $57 roundtrip). The London Underground plies the railways between the airport and the city on a regular basis for a more affordable $10 each way.

Hotel: There is no hotel inside security, but Yotel offers capsule-sized rooms in Terminal 4, without the need to take a bus. Terminal 5 flyers can walk to the Sofitel Heathrow. All other airport hotels require taking the Hotel Hoppa (roundtrip begins at $12 USD) or a free public bus.

(Courtesy: Yotel)

Food: Dining is varied across national cuisines and price points. Nearly every restaurant after security has a to-go menu that can be ordered and packed within 15 minutes to take on board. Highlights include:

Terminal 1: French brasserie for steak frites and mussels (Café Rouge, 6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily, before security), an international café serving everything from Malay curry to Mexican huevos rancheros (open from 5:30 a.m. until final departure), and numerous pubs (The Tin Goose, until the last flight leaves).

Terminal 2: London’s Pride by Fuller’s pub, with a direct underground pipeline to the actual brewery 8.3 miles from the airport; restaurants created by Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal, serving everything from fish and chips to liquid nitrogen ice cream; also the world’s first airport with a wood-fired pizza oven.

A caviar bar at London Heathrow's Terminal 2. (Courtesy: Heathrow)

Terminal 2: London’s Pride by Fuller’s pub, with a direct underground pipeline to the actual brewery 8.3 miles from the airport; restaurants created by Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal, serving everything from fish and chips to liquid nitrogen ice cream; also the world’s first airport with a wood-fired pizza oven.

Terminal 4: Lebanese food at Comptoir Libanais (4:30 a.m.-9 p.m.); traditional British at Dining Street Restaurant (look for the classic red phone booth; 5 a.m. until last departure).

Terminal 5: Bubble Tea Café (Bubbleology, 6 a.m.-10 p.m.); Gordon Ramsay Plane Food restaurant offering a two-course express menu served in under 25 minutes (5:30 a.m. until the last flight); Asian fusion eatery Wagamama (5:30 a.m. until last flight).

Shopping: Once through security, the terminals are packed with duty-free shopping, world class eateries, and roaming staffers eager to assist with questions. The big names are here, from Burberry to John Lewis (its first airport location is in Terminal 2). There’s also a luggage repair service, an art gallery in Terminal 5, plus outposts of the cult druggist Boots and spas for facials and massages in each terminal. You can even book a personal shopper at heathrow.com. Hate shopping? You can reserve your favorite products online at heathrow.com/boutique and pick them up after your next trip.

In Short: The redevelopment plan is helping to get the airport’s efficiency back on track, returning its once revered reputation to top-notch status.

London Heathrow's Terminal 5. (Courtesy: Heathrow)

Ramsey Qubein flies nearly 350,000 miles per year and is a regular contributor to BBC Worldwide and Business Traveler, covering hotels, airports, airlines, and loyalty programs.