Heathrow Airport: Expansion Plans, Terminals and Economic Benefits

This report provides a comprehensive overview of Heathrow Airport, examining its operational aspects, passenger facilities, and security measures. It details the airport's significant role in the UK's economy, including its contributions to GDP and employment, and discusses the economic regulations that govern its operations. The report explores the airport's expansion plans, including the proposed third runway, and analyzes the potential benefits and challenges associated with this project. Furthermore, it outlines the terminal assignments for various airlines and highlights the airport's accessibility and connectivity. The report concludes with a summary of the key findings and references relevant sources.

Heathrow Airport

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Heathrow Airport is a major international airport in London, United Kingdom. Heathrow
earns a position of being considered as second largest airport in the world in terms of
international passengers traffic. It is seventh busiest airport in the world by total passenger traffic
and serving Greater London. Heathrow airport is operated through four operational terminals.
The airport is owned and controlled by Heathrow Airport Holdings. This airport was originated
in 1929 as a small airfield and later on 31 May 1946, Heathrow was officially opened for
commercial air travel. Heathrow provides services to fly across the world through airline
services. It is the primary hub for the UK's national carrier, British airways and for the airline
founded by Richard Branson, Virgin Atlantic.
MAIN BODY
As Heathrow airport is situated in London and considered as largest airport situated in
Europe. All the services that helps in serving more and more consumers are provided by the
airport authorities. In the year 2012, to examine the capacity of UK airports and to hike them
government of United Kingdom establishes the Airport Commission. For increasing the
operations at airport a new terminal which was approved by government is established. The
airport is located west of the London as per the flow of wind that will help in landing flights.
Facilities provided by Heathrow airport:
Over 80 airline agencies used this airport for flying to 84 countries in which approx 190
destinations are covered to serve. Passengers at Heathrow Airport are served with various
facilities available on four terminals (numbered from 2 to 5) and one cargo terminal. More then
90% of the travellers visiting UK or moving from UK travel through Heathrow Airport. The
busiest destination in terms of passengers is New York. To serve airlines who are taking landing
and take-off facilities six runways are provided. These runways are arranged in three pairs at
different angles that will help in flying and landing to different directions. The scale of
operations at the airport is very high as runways are six and flights are in multi-pal numbers.
Heathrow Airport authority have a perfect coordination amount two flights to operate in suitable
manner. Various facilities are provided for the passengers such as-
 Prayer room for all the religions
 Free wi-fi internet access in all the terminals
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 Five exclusive lounges featuring relaxation room, showers and magazines.
 Currency exchange counter is provided at each terminal
 Meeting rooms and workstations in the lounge
 Children's play area in the family terminals (terminal 2,4 and 5)
 Dining facilities with best food facilities
 Place to shop for essentials such as medicines, newspapers, books and others.
Heathrow Airport takes good care of the passengers who possess some physical
disability and can not make it to move into the airport. All the required facilities that will help to
bring passengers from parking to the terminal and then to the flight is made. Together with this
to maintain security of all the passengers a strict check-in with following the security guidelines
is done.
Security for Heathrow Airport:
Airports possess a responsibility towards all the passengers travelling in the flights. For
this aviation security services are provided as they are specialised in policing and securing
Heathrow Airport and other airports in UK. The army including armoured vehicles of the
Household Cavalry has occasionally been deployed at the airport during period of high-alert
security. In the day-to-day operations full body scanner are used at the airports for all the
passengers. For other passengers who can not take search through this scanner are searched
physically in private room. The scanner used reflects the image of the passenger travelling and
anything that is kept hiding will come to eyes through scanning.
Economic regulations for Heathrow Airport:
Heathrow makes up some of the UK's most critical transport infrastructure. As a result of
this contribution a range of obligation in form of regulations must be fulfilled by the
organisation. The department of transport, civil aviation authority, competition and markets
authority all these regulatory authority influences operations of Heathrow Airport. Airports are
governed by the Civil Aviation Act, 2012. This act sets the legal framework governing the
economic regulation of the airports in United Kingdom. The CAA, 2012 undertakes its duty by
adopting a regulatory mechanism under single till regulations. This mechanism limits the amount
that is imposed on passengers in terms of airport charges. This is done on the basis of per
passenger over the price control period. As per economic regulations license that is served to
provide airport services includes a service quality scheme. As per this scheme certain services
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are specified to be served with certain quality to hold that licence. CAA has been assigned with
targets for Heathrow to deliver. Failure to make the quality services as per targets given to
Heathrow then it is required to make rebates payments to airlines. The total amount of penalty of
payment may be up to 7% of total airport charges.
Benefits of Heathrow Airport to UK economy:
As airlines services has become one of the largest part of transportation services that
ultimately leads to infrastructure development in the country. Establishment of large airports like
Heathrow helps in boosting the economy with resolving multi-pal issues at the same time. As
Heathrow Airport provides services to airlines this act brings business in the country.
Establishment of airports requires development of infrastructure that gives employment to large
amount of skilled and unskilled unemployed individuals. Operating its operations in UK will
bring large amount of foreign currency in the country that is ultimately beneficial for economic
growth of the country. Contribution of aviations is at-least £52 billion to the UK’s overall GDP.
With the Heathrow Airport third runway the industry will contribute more towards UK GDP. An
increase in the real GDP is equal to the economic growth in the country and will ultimately
results in raising living standard in the country. Development of airports will result in more
tourism that will help in growth and development of the different sector and more funds can be
generated with boos in tourism sector.
Expansion plans of Heathrow Airport:
A master plan is launched to make ease in the air traffic is launched for the Europe's
busiest airport. A third runway will be constructed by the year 2026 with an estimated cost of
17.6 billion pounds. It is estimated completion of the project will add 147 billion pounds in the
economic growth and 70000 new jobs by the year 2050. This project is opposed on the basis that
more air transportation in the country will leads to high air-pollution. This project is approved by
the UK government to grab the new opportunities through economic development. As Heathrow
Airport is already running on its full capacity and can not be added to new roots. This new
runway will help in enhancing the connectivity to some more destinations and overall economy
of the country will be benefited with this expansion plan.
Terminal Assignments:
The four passenger terminals of Heathrow Airport are assigned as follows-
Terminal 2: This terminal is for Star Alliance and for few non-aligned airlines.
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Terminal 3: Airlines such as Oneworld, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Airlines, Middle East Airlines
and several non-aligned airlines fly from here.
Terminal 4: Sky Team, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airlines and most non-aligned airlines fly from
this terminal.
Terminal 5: British Airways and Iberia flights are available through this terminal to fly at
several destinations.
Heathrow Airport is established at the reachable location as buses, trains, taxies, cars and
some hotel cabs provides travelling facilities to Heathrow Airport. Wide range of reachability
make the airport most suitable for the citizens in UK together with various tourist will finds it
convenient to land at this airport. This easy access make Heathrow more popular and more and
more airlines wants to provide their services through Heathrow Airport to operate at maximum
efficiency.
CONCLUSION
From the above project report it has been concluded that air transport services has
become one of the most important means for travelling all over the world. Establishment of high
quality airports helps in boosting consumers experience and helps in earning more revenue to
flight operating agencies. To increase economic growth of UK establishment of more and more
runways needs to be build in long run. This initiative will help in increasing connective among
certain destinations that are not connected due to non availability of proper airport facilities.
Heathrow Airport facilities, security, large infrastructure and high connectivity make this airport
one of the famous airports all over the world.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Griggs, S. and Howarth, D., 2016. The politics of airport expansion in the United Kingdom:
Hegemony, policy and the rhetoric of ‘sustainable aviation’.
Hayden, A., 2014. Stopping Heathrow Airport expansion (for now): Lessons from a victory for
the politics of sufficiency. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning. 16(4). pp.539-
558.
Morrell, P., 2016. Airport competition and network access: A European perspective. In Airport
Competition (pp. 31-46). Routledge.
Pels, E., Njegovan, N. and Behrens, C., 2017. Low-cost airlines and airport competition. In Low
Cost Carriers (pp. 125-136). Routledge.
Skouloudis, A., Evangelinos, K. and Moraitis, S., 2012. Accountability and stakeholder
engagement in the airport industry: An assessment of airports’ CSR reports. Journal of
Air Transport Management. 18(1). pp.16-20.
Stansfeld, S., 2013. Airport noise and cardiovascular disease.
Online
Heathrow Economic Regulations. 2018. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.heathrow.com/company/company-news-and-information/economic-
regulation>
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