Some interesting facts about Heathrow Airport

1. Some interesting facts about Heathrow Airport Heathrow Airport has perhaps become a legend when it comes to airports. Heathrow has changed the way the world travels and has many firsts to its credit. Some of the facts about Heathrow are so amazing that they will send a shiver down your spine. So, read on and get ready for some shocks: ● Heathrow was founded in 1946 as a tented village. Initially, there were 18 destinations served by just a handful of airlines. On the eve of New Year 1946, the first departure was to Buenos Aires via Lisbon. ● The busiest airport is determined according to various criteria. With its 5 terminals, Heathrow counted 66 million passengers. This puts it ahead of O'Hare Chicago Airport and just behind Atlanta Airport in terms of pure passenger volume. However, in terms of transit passengers only, Heathrow is the largest airport. This figure is set to rise with the opening of another runway in the near future. ● The total number of people employed at Heathrow is 72,000, a figure equivalent to the total population of Scunthorpe in Yorkshire. BAA staff alone account for 4,385 people. ● Heathrow Airport covers an area of 1227 hectares and has 5 terminals and 2 runways. A further runway was recently approved in 2009. The most popular destinations include New York, Dubai, Amsterdam, Dublin and Hong Kong. ● In general, 92 airlines fly from Heathrow to 181 different locations around the world, and 37% of these passengers use Heathrow as their central hub. ● Terminal 5 is the busiest terminal at Heathrow with 24 million passengers. British Airways is also housed in this terminal. The next biggest terminal is Terminal No. 3, which handles 20 million passengers a year. ● About 50,000 vehicles pass through the tunnel into Heathrow's central terminal area. ● The total number of passengers departing and arriving at Heathrow each day averages 180,600. The busiest day at Heathrow was 1 August 2004 with 227,284 passengers landing at Heathrow. ● 92% or 60.6 million passengers are international passengers and the remaining 8% (about 5.3 million) are domestic passengers. Business passengers account for 33.7% of total passengers annually. ● Total freight carried at Heathrow in 2009 was 1.3 million tonnes. ● The two current runways have a combined length of 4.7 miles. Heathrow is a place that can only be experienced. The sheer attraction of the place draws everyone in. The place is always buzzing with activity. It is like a city within a city that never sleeps. Passengers travelling to Heathrow need a taxi service that is as unique as Heathrow. Visit the site: Taxi to Heathrow