Heathrow Airport

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Heathrow Airport (IATA: LHR, ICAO: EGLL) is a major international airport in London, England. It is the primary hub for British Airways and a base for Virgin Atlantic. Heathrow is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the seventh busiest airport in the world by total passenger traffic.

History[edit | edit source]

Heathrow Airport was originally opened in 1929 as a small airfield called Great West Aerodrome. It was developed into a larger airport during World War II and officially opened as London Airport in 1946. The airport was renamed Heathrow Airport in 1966.

Terminals[edit | edit source]

Heathrow Airport has four operational passenger terminals:

Terminal 2: Also known as the Queen's Terminal, it reopened in 2014 and serves as the base for Star Alliance members.
Terminal 3: Opened in 1961, it primarily serves long-haul flights.
Terminal 4: Opened in 1986, it is used mainly by SkyTeam members and some non-aligned airlines.
Terminal 5: Opened in 2008, it is exclusively used by British Airways and Iberia.

Runways[edit | edit source]

Heathrow has two parallel runways running east-west:

Runway 09L/27R
Runway 09R/27L

Transport Links[edit | edit source]

Heathrow is well-connected by various modes of transport:

Heathrow Express: A non-stop train service to London Paddington station.
London Underground: The Piccadilly line serves all terminals.
National Express Coaches: Provides coach services to various destinations across the UK.
Heathrow Connect: A stopping service to London Paddington, replaced by the Elizabeth line.

Expansion Plans[edit | edit source]

There have been ongoing discussions and plans for the expansion of Heathrow, including the controversial proposal for a third runway to increase capacity.

Environmental Impact[edit | edit source]

Heathrow Airport has faced criticism for its environmental impact, including noise pollution and carbon emissions. Various measures have been implemented to mitigate these effects, such as the introduction of quieter aircraft and restrictions on night flights.