The brand new Terminal 2 will be more than three times the size of the current Terminal. The opening of the first phase will accommodate 20 million passengers a year. It will rise again to 30 million following the opening of an additional satellite terminal. Then Terminal 1 will close after this second phase is completed, which is scheduled for 2019.

The airport has noted that the closure of Terminal 2 marks a very important moment for the airport. The opening of the new Terminal 2 will, not only provide a new home for the Star Alliance and offer passengers a better experience overall, but it will have less of an impact on the environment overall.

Right now the claims are that the new terminal will have a carbon footprint that is 40 percent smaller than the current Terminal. A lot of this is due to the solar panels that will be placed on the roof of the terminal, but it will also use natural daylight in a better way and be able to cut down on lighting.

The current Terminal 2 was the first of Heathrow’s terminals to open up in 1955. When it first opened it was called the Europa Building but changed its name in 1969 after the opening of Terminal 1.