Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson) is considering legal action against London Heathrow over plans to relocate its operations from Terminal 3 to Terminal 4 in 2028, separating it from transatlantic joint venture partner Virgin Atlantic.

In a statement, Delta CEO Ed Bastian criticised the decision as "short-sighted, deeply disappointing, and bad for airline consumers".

He warned: "We are committed to preserving the seamless travel experience for which Delta and Virgin Atlantic are known and will pursue all available remedies to correct this decision. We urge Heathrow Airport Limited to reconsider their decision in favour of a more prudent and thoughtful outcome that puts travellers first and allows competition to flourish at Heathrow."

He argued that separating the two airlines would undermine their integrated operations, customer connections, and previous investments in their shared Terminal 3 facilities. Passengers transferring between the carriers would face cross-terminal bus transfers rather than direct connections within the same terminal.

Heathrow responds

A Heathrow spokesperson said: "Following consultation with our airline customers, Heathrow has developed a clear plan to make the best use of current terminal capacity and deliver a better overall experience for passengers, as well as strengthening operational resilience and creating room for growth. As demand to travel through Heathrow continues to grow and capacity remains constrained, these five moves will unlock more capacity across terminals, reduce congestion, improve the flow of passengers through the airport, and help keep passenger costs down. We are committed to working closely with our airline customers as these changes are delivered."

Heathrow insists that the terminal reshuffle is intended to optimise existing infrastructure ahead of planned terminal modernisation and expansion, maintaining service levels as passenger numbers grow.

The changes, to be implemented over two years, follow three years of consultation, with airlines representing 81% of Heathrow passengers backing the final plan. Heathrow said it involves the fewest airline relocations, requires the least capital expenditure, and can be delivered fastest.

The airport is working with five affected airlines to finalise implementation plans. Their planned moves are as follows: