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AIR INDIA JOINS FELLOW STAR ALLIANCE CARRIERS
AT HEATHROW TERMINAL 2 | THE QUEEN’S TERMINAL
LONDON, U.K. – January 26
th
, 2017 – Star Alliance member carrier Air India has
successfully moved all its operations at London Heathrow’s Airport from Terminal 4 to
Terminal 2, the home of Star Alliance. The national airline of India operates up to eight
daily flights in and out of Heathrow with either Boeing 777 or Boeing 787 Dreamliner
aircraft and has been serving London for nearly 70 years. At present it offers two daily
flights to Delhi, one daily flight to Mumbai, four weekly flights to Ahmedabad and three
weekly flights to Newark (New York).
“With 24 of our member airlines flying to Heathrow, the airport is served by more Star
Alliance member carriers than any other airport in our worldwide network. Therefore our
long term strategy for Heathrow has always been to locate all our members under the
same roof. With Air India’s successful move to the Queen’s Terminal we have now
accomplished this”, said Jeffrey Goh, CEO Star Alliance.
Compared to Terminal 4, the check-in layout and concept in Terminal 2 allows customers
to take greater control of their journey. This has been made possible through a combination
of increased automation and common check-in. Travellers who have not checked in online
can use any of 81 multi-airline check-in kiosks available throughout Terminal 2. These also
print boarding passes and bag tags. Once checked in, Air India passengers can drop off
their bags at the shared counters in Zone D. Customers requiring additional support and
assistance or travelling in First Class, Business Class or holding Star Alliance Gold status
will also find the respective counters in Zone D.
Air India customers travelling in either First or Business Class or holding Star Alliance Gold
status can make use of any of the four lounges in Terminal 2 operated by fellow Star
Alliance member airlines Air Canada, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and United.
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“Ever since we started operations from Terminal 2 at Heathrow, we have been receiving
very positive customer feedback on the new facility. We are certain that the approximately
1,000 Air India passengers who will be using Terminal 2 every day will notice a significant
improvement in their travel experience”, said Goh. “This will especially be true for the
several hundred passengers who connect between Air India and other Star Alliance
carriers via Heathrow on a daily basis. They can now do this in the comfort of a single
terminal, rather than using buses to transfer across the airport”, he continued.
The concept of having all Star Alliance member carriers operate from the same terminal at
Heathrow was first raised with the airport operator more than a decade ago and came to
fruition when Terminal 2 | The Queen’s Terminal opened in June 2014. 23 member airlines
moved into Terminal 2 on a staggered schedule between June and October 2014. Air India
became a Star Alliance member the same year and has since worked on adapting its
processes in order to fit in with the new check-in concept offered in Terminal 2.
Operating from a single terminal at Heathrow ensures that Star Alliance member carriers
can offer approximately 12 million annual customers using the airport a vastly improved
travel experience, including shorter connecting times. The latest technology is used
throughout the terminal to give passengers more control of their journey.
The Star Alliance airlines serving Heathrow are Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air
India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Croatia
Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa,
Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Portugal,
Turkish Airlines, THAI and United. Together they operate over 117 flights per day to 44
destinations in 27 countries from Heathrow. Each of these flights provides access to the full
Alliance network of more than 18,450 daily flights to 1,330 airports in 190 countries.
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About Star Alliance:
The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide
reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been
recognized by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline
Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Aegean
Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Avianca
Brazil, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish
Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways,
SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI and United. Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers
more than 18,450 daily flights to 1,300 airports in 190 countries.
Further information can be obtained via:
Star Alliance Press Office
Tel: +49 69 96375 183
Fax: +49 69 96375 683
Email: [email protected]
www.staralliance.com
Twitter @staralliance https://twitter.com/staralliance
Facebook: www.facebook.com/staralliance
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/star-alliance
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/staralliancenetwork
Instagram: https://instagram.com/staralliance/
