Air France and KLM are to move operations back to Terminal 4 at Heathrow airport at the end of this month.
The date of the airlines’ return could be as early as March 23 pending IT checks but is currently scheduled for Sunday, March 26.
Both airlines had moved to Terminal 2, and later to Terminal 3, after Terminal 4 was shut during the Covid pandemic.
The shift follows a request from Heathrow and is the result of capacity returning to normal, pre-Covid levels, which has led to potential congestion issues at Terminal 3.
Once the move is complete, Air France and KLM passengers will be checked in at Zone H.
The airlines are concluding discussions with an existing airport lounge for customers for the short term and those passengers who are eligible will be informed in due course.
Air France and KLM will continue to offer connections to north America with airline partners Virgin Atlantic and Delta Air Lines, however these airlines will remain in Terminal 3.
As a result, the minimum connecting time between the airlines will increase from 70 minutes to 90 minutes. Existing bookings with transfer times that are shorter than 90 minutes will be reviewed and customers will be contacted accordingly, the airlines said.
Fahmi Mahjoub, Air France and KLM general manager (UK and Ireland), said: “While we regret no longer being in the same terminal as our partners Virgin and Delta, we are happy to be back at Terminal 4 which offers a very convenient experience for our passengers, with short distances between check-in and boarding and overall a less crowded environment.
“Moreover, we have been working with Heathrow and are confident that transfers between Terminal 4 and Terminal 3 will work efficiently.”