Queen opens Heathrow's Terminal 5

The Queen has officially opened Heathrow's Terminal 5, two weeks ahead of its first scheduled flight.

The controversial new terminal, due to begin operation on 27 March, has been under construction since 2002. It cost more than £4 billion to complete, and provides stands for 50 aircraft. It will be used only by British Airways flights.

Business groups have welcomed the new terminal, but stressed their belief that a third runway must follow. "We are pleased to see the opening of Terminal 5 which will add much-needed capacity to an already overstretched airport," said Gareth Elliot, policy adviser at the British Chambers of Commerce.

"Business travellers need reliable and efficient transport systems and Terminal 5 along with the proposals for a third runway will go a long way to providing the UK with the first-class facilities it requires."

Richard Lambert, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, added: "As our gateway to the world, Heathrow is a vital part of our national infrastructure and of immense importance to our economy."

"This great new facility adds desperately needed capacity and will transform the Heathrow experience for passengers, many of whom are business travellers who have been frustrated by the strains of the past few years."

However, environmental groups, many of whom opposed the terminal's development, have called for a halt to expansion of the country's airports. Friends of the Earth's aviation campaigner Richard Dyer told BBC News: "The government must abandon its plans for a third runway and Terminal 6 - it should invest in fast rail links."

Earlier this week, Greenpeace criticised airport operator BAA's application to build a second runway at Stansted.