Heathrow Airport – Unexpected Adventure to my Terminal
Heathrow Airport – Unexpected Adventure to my Terminal
So this little unexpected adventure I had happened a few months back. I had to fly to Berlin from London on a business trip for the company I work for. Anyway, as a habit I generally leave early whenever I have to fly overseas.
I took a cab to the Heathrow Airport, which is quite accessible by road and public transport. The airport is around 15 miles from West London along the M4 motorway.
Anyway, I got off at terminal 2 and there I was told at the check in by an attendant that I ended up at the wrong terminal, as my British Airways flight will depart from terminal 5. Oh man, I just stood there wondering how I could have made such a silly mistake.
The attendant looked at me and even asked, “Sir, are you alright?
I didn’t quite answer but after my little shocking experience, I knew that I was in for a trip!
For those who haven’t yet been to the airport, the Heathrow Airport is massive. It is the busiest airport in UK and Europe. The first three terminals share the same entrance, the fourth terminal is at the southern part of the airport, and the fifth terminal on the Western Perimeter Road with its own separate access road.
After asking around, I found out that the two possible ways for me to get to the fifth terminal is through the Heathrow express or the London underground. So today seemed like a good day to check out the Heathrow express.
While on the train it finally hit me, last time I flew to Berlin from London was through a German airline called the Germanwings, which departed from terminal two. Anyway, upon reaching terminal 5, I went through the check in and went straight to eat. I found a sandwich place and got myself a delicious yet healthy sandwich.
I’ve always had this affinity for airport food and nothing beats the top quality food in the UK.
Finally, I was on the plane and my favorite part of flying from the Heathrow airport had arrived, I simply love looking down at the six runways, arranged in certain angles that it looks like a hexagram.
So for those who have not yet flown from Heathrow Airport, here is a quick guide:
- There are 5 different terminals at the airport, the first three terminals are all walking distance but the fourth and fifth terminal both have different road routes for entrance.
- You can access the airport from Heathrow express, a nonstop service direct to the airport from Paddington station.
- There is a central bus station serving terminals 1 and 3. Both terminals 4 and 5 have their own bus station.
- Several large duty free shops are available for traveler.
- Decent eatery is available at the airport.
- A number of play areas are available for kids.
While I am confident that this is useful information, you will still find yourself a little overwhelmed on your first visit to Heathrow Airport. The size of the airport and the foot traffic here is simply a sight to behold. However, the experience is extremely enjoyable and I recommend you enjoy yourself while you are there.
Enjoy!
