Photos: Technology at the heart of Terminal 5

The major challenge has been integration. Nick Gaines, BAA business-critical systems director, explained that whatever was built needed to be integrated back into the existing Heathrow infrastructure.

So far, 69 existing airport systems have been modified to make sure they integrate seamlessly with those in T5.

Gaines said: "Integration is not merely plugging IT together."

Gaines said the team has exploited the new build of T5 – by running cables through new tunnels for example - to create a "more flexible and resilient environment for the rest of the airport".

He said: "T5 is a technology programme that spreads across BAA." The CCTV system, for example, was trialled at Stansted – another BAA airport - and Heathrow's Terminal 1.

Above - two workers connect one of the customer bag drop points to the state-of-the-art baggage handling system.

Photo credit: BAA

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