Terminal 5 is working with a range of local and globally strong brands to create a new and exciting retail environment, with each store concept fulfilling the key criteria of being surprising, tempting and experience-enhancing. And whether consumers are after stimulation or relaxation, Terminal 5 will set new standards in retail and dining experiences with 144 different stores and restaurants from which to choose.

From a traveller perspective the audience demographic is anticipated to be 92% ABC1 in profile, and the Terminal will be used exclusively by British Airways – Domestic, European and International destinations.

On the other hand if you are one of us who don’t want to buy a new Prada bag at T5 but who want to connect at Heathrow to another flight or go directly to London, the situation won’t be as rosy. The real problem at Heathrow is actually the lack of runways. Two current runways serve five terminals and they are used to the maximum. Any disruption creates a ripple effect of delays and flight cancellations. My yesterday’s flight from London to Prague was three hours delayed and the reason was a rain shower that delayed some incoming flights few hours earlier. And on top of that BA lost my bag…

To summarize my experience: Heathrow T5 is an exclusive shopping mall but it’s a terrible airport.