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Statistics, Infectious Diseases, Health Control Unit London (Heathrow) Airport 23
Flight clearance throughout the year continued to take place centrally in this terminal and there
is no doubt that being in close juxtaposition to the main base, this was a useful and convenient
situation for the passengers, who required referral to the medical staff for revaccination and for
other reasons.
The first "747"—"Jumbo-jet"—aircraft operated by Pan American was due at Heathrow in
December, but owing to various engineering problems, its arrival was postponed until January 1970.
In the meantime, Pier 7—on which there will eventually be ten "747" "fingers" and the new South
West Terminal arrival building rapidly took shape, along with a travellator connecting this Pier to
Piers 5 and 6 and thence to the new arrivals terminal.
It is expected that Pier 7 will be operational early in April 1970, that the North Coach Station's
alterations will have been completed towards the end of May and that the new arrivals terminal will
be ready to take passengers by June 1st. By this date, the Health Control Unit will have transferred
from its existing accommodation to, what it is hoped will prove to be, its permanent home.
When these various building operations are finally completed, all flights subject to health control
are planned to be cleared on the three piers' "fingers" and at the North Coach Station. Rest rooms
for staff have been provided at ground level beneath Piers 5 and 6, and at mezzanine level on Pier 7,
where there is also to be an immunisation centre. At this spot, passengers arriving off "747" and
other aircraft will be able to be vaccinated without having to walk the immense distance to the base
accommodation in the arrivals terminal.