Terminal 5 flash-mobbed on opening day

Hundreds of climate change campaigners descended on Heathrow’s new Terminal 5 on its opening day to perform a flash-mob operation.

Protesters of all ages grouped together in the terminal, before simultaneously stripping off to reveal red T-shirts which declared ‘Stop Airport Expansion’.

Passengers were confused and amused as other protestors lay down on the floor to spell out the message.

A flash mob involves hundreds of people turning up to a public location at a pre-arranged time to engage in a surreal action. This flash mob is the latest in a series of protests against Heathrow’s expansion.

Andrea Needham, a flash-mobber at the Heathrow protest, said: “The flash mob is a fun event, but with a very serious purpose.

“Airport expansion is totally irresponsible in the face of the devastating effects of climate change.

“Climate change can be beaten, but not by almost doubling the size of the world’s biggest international airport.”

John Stewart, Chair of HACAN, a group that campaigns on behalf of those living under Heathrow’s flight paths, was also at the protest. He said: “The real reason the new Terminal was built was to provide the terminal capacity to allow more flights on the existing runways, which will mean more noise, more pollution and more stress for living under the flight paths.”

Airport operators, however, disagree. Neil Pakey, Chairman of the Airport Operators Association, said: “The opening of Terminal 5 today is good news for air passengers. The people and businesses of the UK need and deserve world-class airports.”

The flash mob at Heathrow can be watched on YouTube.