The tube (underground railway) station at London Heathrow Terminal 4 will be temporarily closed as from 7 January, Air Malta said yesterday. It will be operating normally to Hatton Cross and Terminals 1, 2 and 3 but will not be stopping at Terminal 4. This was announced by Transport for London (TfL), the body that is responsible for and that manages public transport in London.

Since Air Malta operates to this terminal, the airline has issued a statement as part of its policy to keep its clients informed about anything that affects their travel arrangements.

It said passengers have three options when travelling to or from Heathrow’s Terminal 4.

They can travel direct on the Heathrow Express to or from Paddington station, which is a 20-minute trip.

They can travel on the tube to Heathrow’s Terminal 1, 2 or 3 and change on to the Heathrow’s Express (free of charge) to Terminal 4. (This option is recommended for disabled passengers or those with a lot of luggage.)

Passengers can also travel on the tube to Hatton Cross (a stop before Heathrow’s Terminal 4) where a dedicated bus shuttle service will be available to transfer them to Terminal 4.

“The change from tube to bus is to allow for construction of the Piccadilly line extension to the new BAA Heathrow Terminal 5, “ said TfL. London Underground’s Heathrow Terminal 4 station will remain closed during the work which is expected to last 20 months.

The airline said it regrets any inconvenience caused to passengers due to circumstances over which it has no control. More information can be obtained from www.tfl.gov.uk and www.heathrowexpress.com.