Sachin Walls
Heathrow Airport, located 14 miles west of Central London, has become synonymous with the city and is a central force in global aviation. However, before Heathrow became London's primary airport, Croydon Airport served as the city's principal aviation hub. The history of Heathrow Airport dates back to the early 20th century when aviation fever swept through London, resulting in airstrips sprouting across the suburbs. Heathrow's origins as an airport can be traced to Fairey Aviation, which assembled and flight-tested aircraft in Northolt Aerodrome, located a few miles north of the present-day Heathrow Airport. The land that would become Heathrow Airport was initially a private airfield before the onset of World War II. During the war, the government requisitioned the land, including Fairey's Great West Aerodrome, to construct RAF Heston, a base for long-range military aircraft.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the airport replaced by Heathrow | Hounslow Heath Aerodrome |
| Year of closure | 1919 |
| Year Heathrow was opened | 1946 |
| Original name of Heathrow | London Airport |
| Year Heathrow was renamed | 1966 |
| Number of runways when Heathrow was opened | 6 |
| Number of runways as of 2022 | 2 |
| Number of passenger terminals | 4 |
| Number of cargo terminals | 1 |
| Number of passengers in 2021 | 19.4 million |
| Busiest year on record | 2019 |
| Number of passengers in 2019 | 80.9 million |
| Heathrow's ranking in Europe by passenger volume | 1st |
| Heathrow's ranking globally by passenger traffic | 4th |
| Heathrow's ranking globally by international passenger traffic | 2nd |
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What You'll Learn
Heathrow Airport was originally an ancient agricultural village
Heathrow Airport, the world's busiest international airport, was originally an ancient agricultural village. The village, known as Heath Row, existed since medieval times and was first mentioned around 1410. It was a semi-rural lane that divided farmland and heath, with the lane separating the hamlet of Harmondsworth from Hounslow Heath. The area was used for market gardening and wheat growing.
In 1915, Fairey Aviation, founded by British aero-engineer Richard Fairey, began assembling and flight-testing aircraft from Northolt Aerodrome, located about six miles north of what is now Heathrow Airport. In 1925, an RAF officer, Norman Macmillan, made a forced landing and take-off at Heathrow, noting the flatness of the land and its potential suitability for an airfield. Fairey Aviation needed a new airfield for flight testing, and in 1929, they purchased 148 acres of farmland near the hamlet of Heathrow from local landowners.
During World War II, the government requisitioned the land around Heath Row, including Fairey's Great West Aerodrome, to construct RAF Heston, a base for long-range troop-carrying aircraft bound for the Far East. An RAF-style control tower and a 'Star of David' pattern of runways were built, with the longest runway being 3,000 yards long and 100 yards wide. The ancient village of Heath Row was demolished, and the land was cleared for runways starting in 1944.
After World War II ended, the RAF no longer needed the base, and it was handed over to the Air Ministry as London's new civil airport on January 1, 1946. The airport, initially known as London Airport, officially opened for civilian use on May 31, 1946, and was later renamed Heathrow Airport in September 1966 to avoid confusion with other London airports. Over the years, Heathrow Airport has expanded significantly, adding terminals, runways, and various facilities to accommodate the growing aviation industry.
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The site was first mentioned in 1410
Heathrow Airport began in 1929 as a small airfield called Great West Aerodrome on farmland southeast of the hamlet of Heathrow, from which the airport takes its name. The first known mention of the site was in 1410, when a semi-rural lane called Heathrow (spelled La Hetherewe) was recorded. This lane divided farmland and heath until 1819 when the heath also became farmland. The hamlet of Heathrow consisted of farms, market gardens, orchards, a country lane (Heathrow Road), and buildings including Heathrow Farm, Heathrow Hall, and Heathrow House.
In the early 20th century, the area that became Heathrow Airport was used for aviation purposes. Fairey Aviation, founded by British aero-engineer and plane builder Richard Fairey, started assembling and flight-testing aircraft from Northolt Aerodrome, located about six miles north of the modern Heathrow Airport, in 1915. From 1917 to 1919, Hounslow Heath Aerodrome, located about 2.5 miles southeast of Heathrow, was the only London aerodrome with customs facilities.
In 1925, RAF officer Norman Macmillan made a forced landing and take-off at Heathrow, noting the flatness of the land and its potential suitability for an airfield. Fairey Aviation needed a new airfield for flight testing, and in 1929, the company purchased 148 acres of farmland near the hamlet of Heathrow from four local landowners. This site became the Great West Aerodrome, which was the precursor to Heathrow Airport.
During World War II, the British government requisitioned land in and around the ancient agricultural village of Heath Row, including Fairey's Great West Aerodrome, to build RAF Heston, a base for long-range troop-carrying aircraft bound for the Far East. An RAF-type control tower was constructed, and a 'Star of David' pattern of runways was laid. The development of Heathrow as a larger airport began in 1944, and it was intended for long-distance military aircraft. However, by the time the airfield's runways were usable, World War II had ended, and the UK government continued to develop the site as a civil airport.
On January 1, 1946, the airfield was officially handed over to the Air Ministry as London's new civil airport, and it opened to the public on March 25, 1946, as London Airport. The early passenger terminals were ex-military marquees forming a tented village along the Bath Road. These terminals were basic but comfortable, featuring floral-patterned furniture and fresh flowers. To reach the aircraft, passengers walked over wooden duckboards to protect their footwear from the muddy airfield. The airport was renamed Heathrow Airport in September 1966 to avoid confusion with other London airports.
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Fairey Aviation bought 148 acres of land in 1929
Heathrow Airport, the world's busiest international airport, was preceded by Fairey's Great West Aerodrome, also known as Harmondsworth Aerodrome or Heathrow Aerodrome. Fairey Aviation, founded by British aero-engineer and plane builder Richard Fairey, started assembling and flight-testing aircraft from Northolt Aerodrome, about six miles north of modern Heathrow Airport, in 1915.
In 1928, the Air Ministry instructed Fairey Aviation to stop using Northolt, as the company needed an airfield for flight-testing aircraft designed and manufactured at its factory in North Hyde Road, Hayes. Fairey Aviation's chief test pilot, Norman Macmillan, recommended the area around Heathrow as a suitable location for an aerodrome, recalling a forced landing and take-off at Heathrow in 1925, and noting the flatness of the land.
In 1929, Fairey Aviation purchased 148 acres of farmland in four adjoining plots near the southeast of the hamlet of Heathrow from four local landowners. The land was purchased for around £1,500, at the typical 1929 market rate of £10 per acre. The site was bounded to the northeast by Cain's Lane, to the south by the Duke of Northumberland's River, and to the west by High Tree Lane. The airfield was about three miles by road from the Hayes factory and was declared operational in June 1930. In the same year, Fairey Aviation bought an additional 29 acres of land, and a hangar was constructed. The first major experimental activity at the Great West Aerodrome was the maiden flight of the Fairey Night Bomber (K1695) in November 1930.
During World War II, the government requisitioned Fairey's Great West Aerodrome, along with the surrounding ancient agricultural village of Heath Row, to construct RAF Heston, a base for long-range troop-carrying aircraft bound for the Far East. The airfield was operational between 1930 and 1944, and it served as a landing site for RAF fighters or bombers that needed to make an emergency landing during World War II.
After World War II, the site was handed over to the Air Ministry, and it officially opened as London Airport on 1 January 1946, later renamed Heathrow Airport in September 1966.
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The airport was originally called London Airport
Heathrow Airport, officially established in 1946, was originally called London Airport. The airport was renamed in the last week of September 1966, twenty years after its establishment. The name change was crucial to distinguish it from its counterparts, Gatwick and Stansted, which also served London.
The origins of Heathrow as an airport go back to the early days of aviation. West London had been the base for military aircraft manufacturers such as Sopwith (later Hawker) in Kingston and Fairey in Hayes. Airstrips were common in the London suburbia of places like Hendon, Croydon, Northolt, and a hamlet near Hounslow Heath called Heathrow. This now-lost village had existed since medieval times, and the current location of Terminal 3 is said to be closest to where it once stood.
In the late 1920s, Fairey Aviation, led by Sir Richard Fairey, was evicted from Northolt by the Air Ministry. They then bought 148 acres of farmland in four adjoining plots near the southeast of the hamlet of Heathrow. They developed a three-runway aerodrome in the Heathrow area during the 1930s, known as Harmondsworth Aerodrome, Great West Aerodrome, and Heathrow Aerodrome. During World War II, the government requisitioned land around the ancient agricultural village of Heath Row, including Fairey's Great West Aerodrome, to build RAF Heston, a base for long-range troop-carrying aircraft bound for the Far East. An RAF-type control tower was constructed, and a ''Star of David' pattern of runways was laid.
After the war, in 1946, the RAF no longer needed another aerodrome, and the land was officially handed over to the Air Ministry as London's new civil airport. The airport was opened on 25 March 1946 as London Airport. A short film made by the Crown Film Unit in 1949, titled 'London Airport', shows the official opening of the airport and the intensive building works. By 1951, 796,000 passengers had travelled through London's new airport, and British architect Frederick Gibberd was appointed to design permanent buildings for the airport.
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The airport was renamed in 1966
Heathrow Airport, officially established in 1946 as London Airport, was renamed in 1966. The name change came twenty years after its establishment. The airport was initially named London Airport because it was in the London Airport area, and it was built on the site of the centuries-old hamlet of Heath Row. The name "Heathrow Airport" is derived from the hamlet it was built on.
The site of Heathrow Airport has a long history. The first known mention of Heathrow was around 1410, when it was referred to as a semi-rural lane called "La Hetherewe." Heathrow divided farmland and heath until 1819, when the heath was converted into farmland. The lane separated the hamlet of Harmondsworth from the highwaymen's lair of Hounslow Heath, which was centred roughly where Terminal 3 is located today.
In the early 20th century, aviation became extremely popular in London, and airstrips were common in the suburbs. One of these airstrips was located in a hamlet near Hounslow Heath called Heathrow. Fairey Aviation, led by Sir Richard Fairey, bought land and developed a three-runway aerodrome in the Heathrow area during the 1930s. It was known as Harmondsworth Aerodrome, Great West Aerodrome, and Heathrow Aerodrome. However, in 1944, the government evicted Fairey Aviation and took over the site to build RAF Heston, a base for long-range troop-carrying aircraft bound for the Far East.
After World War II ended, the RAF no longer needed the aerodrome, and it was officially handed over to the Air Ministry as London's new civil airport on 1 January 1946. The airport was opened on 25 March 1946 and fully opened for civilian use on 31 May 1946. By 1947, the Heathrow runways formed a triangle consisting of three runways at different angles. Over time, the airport expanded and added more runways and terminals.
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Frequently asked questions
Heathrow Airport, originally called London Airport, replaced Croydon Airport as London's primary airport.
Heathrow Airport was opened on 25 March 1946 as London Airport. Croydon Airport was London's main airport at the time, but it wasn't suitable for post-war aircraft and lacked expansion potential.
During World War II, the UK government requisitioned land in and around the ancient agricultural village of Heath Row to build RAF Heston, a base for long-range troop-carrying aircraft bound for the Far East. By the time some of the airfield's runways were usable, the war had ended, and the RAF no longer needed another aerodrome. It was then officially handed over to the Air Ministry as London's new civil airport on 1 January 1946.
The site of Heathrow Airport was home to a private airfield before the onset of World War II. The land was also used for market gardening and wheat growing.
Heathrow Airport was originally called London Airport. It was renamed Heathrow Airport in 1966 to avoid confusion with the other two airports that serve London, Gatwick and Stansted.
