Airport Guide

History of London Heathrow Airport

London Heathrow is the UK's biggest airport, and indeed is the biggest airport in terms of international passenger traffic in the world. It is also Europe's biggest airport in terms of total passenger traffic. The airport currently has four terminals and is used by over 90 airlines which fly to 170 destinations worldwide. Meanwhile, a fifth terminal is due to be opened at the end of March 2008, with further outbuildings set to be completed by 2011.

An airfield was first established at Heathrow during World War I. It was privately owned during the 1930s but was but was bought under the control of the Ministry of Air in order that it could be used as a Royal Air Force base in 1943. The new airport was built on a small hamlet by the name of Heath Row, hence the current name. The Royal Air Force didn't use the airport at all, though, and it was eventually transferred after the end of World War II to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. It subsequently fully opened for civilian use on May 31st 1946.

Travelling to Heathrow Airport

Heathrow Airport is well served by public transport. The Heathrow Express, for instance, runs from Paddington station every 15 minutes and takes just 15 minutes to get there. A Heathrow Connect service also runs from Paddington, taking in up to five National Rail stations on the way. The Piccadilly line is another option, and an extra stop to take passengers to terminal five is due to be opened at around the same time as the new terminal is scheduled to be opened. Several coach companies also offer services to the hub.

By car, the terminals one to three are is served by the M4 motorway and A4 road, the M25 motorway is the best bet for terminal five, and the A30 and M25 are recommended for terminal four. There are numerous short, medium and long-stay car parks.

Major airlines flying out of Heathrow Airport

The three major carriers offering airline tickets out of Heathrow Airport are British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and bmi. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK and flies from Heathrow to a wide range long haul flights and European flights to locations including Aberdeen, Athens and Sydney. Virgin Atliantic flies to locations such as New York, Shanghai and San Francisco, and bmi offers international flights to Europe, North America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and central Asia.