Built on time and on budget, the terminal will open for business for up to 30 million passengers a year on 27 March.
The Queen will be initially greeted by hundreds of airport and construction workers in front of a backdrop of giant screens depicting heroic shots celebrating the construction of Terminal 5.
Some 60,000 people have worked a total of 100 million man hours to build Terminal 5 since construction work began in September 2002.
The project team has successfully erected the UK's biggest free-standing building; moved the 900t top cab of a new 87m high control tower 2km across the airfield; tunnelled over 13km for rail and baggage links; diverted two rivers; and installed over 30,000 square metres of glass building facades.
All Terminal 5's footprint is contained within a former sludge works at the western end of the existing airport, situated between the two runways and adjacent to the M25.
The Terminal 5 complex features 60 aircraft stands; two satellite buildings (the second of which will be completed by 2010); rail links to the Tube and the Heathrow Express; and a new 3,800 space multi-storey car park. In addition a new spur road has been constructed linking the terminal to the M25.
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