Jazmin Li
Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest airport, was officially established in 1946 as London Airport, but its origins stretch back to 1929 when it was a private airfield known as the Great West Aerodrome. The airport was renamed in 1966 to Heathrow Airport, taking its name from the hamlet of Heathrow or Heath Row, which was demolished in 1944 to make way for the airport's expansion. The name change also served to distinguish it from other airports serving London, such as Gatwick and Stansted.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Previous name | London Airport |
| Current name | Heathrow Airport |
| Year of name change | 1966 |
| Reason for name change | To avoid confusion with other airports serving London, Gatwick and Stansted |
| Origin of the name Heathrow | Named after the hamlet of Heathrow, also known as Heath Row, that once stood on the site of the airport |
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What You'll Learn
The airport is named after the hamlet of Heathrow
Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest airport, was officially established as London Airport in 1946. However, its origins stretch back to 1929, when it was a private airfield known as the Great West Aerodrome. This airfield was situated near a hamlet known as 'Heath Row' on the outskirts of London.
The name Heathrow is derived from the hamlet of Heathrow, which was demolished in 1944 to make room for the airport's expansion. The hamlet was located along a country lane called Heathrow Road, which divided the hamlet of Harmondsworth from Hounslow Heath. There was also a Heathrow Farm, Heathrow Hall, and Heathrow House in the area.
The airport was renamed Heathrow Airport in September 1966, adopting the name of the hamlet it was built on. The name change was implemented to give the airport a less generic name and to distinguish it from other airports serving London, such as Gatwick and Stansted.
The development of Heathrow Airport began during World War II in 1944, and it was intended for long-distance military aircraft. By the time the war ended, the UK Government continued to develop the site as a civil airport, and it officially opened on March 25, 1946, as London Airport.
Over the years, Heathrow Airport has undergone significant expansion, including the addition of new terminals and runways. It has become one of the world's most popular airports, serving as a hub for numerous airlines and attracting plane spotters and enthusiasts from across the globe.
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Heathrow Airport was originally called London Airport
Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest airport, was originally called London Airport. The airport was founded in 1930 as a small airfield, but it was developed into a much larger airport after World War II. During the war, in 1944, the land was used as a military airfield for long-distance military aircraft bound for the Far East.
London Airport was officially opened on 25 March 1946. By 1951, British architect Sir Frederick Gibberd was appointed to design permanent buildings for the airport. This included a central area accessed via a 'vehicular subway' under the original main runway, a 122ft-high control tower, a passenger terminal, and an office block. In 1955, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II opened the Central Terminal Area and Control Tower.
London Airport was renamed Heathrow Airport in September 1966 to avoid confusion with other airports serving London, such as Gatwick and Stansted. The name Heathrow comes from the centuries-old hamlet of Heath Row, which was demolished in 1944 to make room for the airport's expansion. The hamlet was located near the present-day Terminal 3, and the name Heathrow has been used since the 15th century.
The transition to 'Heathrow' was not the only name change considered. The airport could have been named 'Swintonfield' after the first Minister of Civil Aviation, Lord Swinton. However, the name Heathrow stuck, despite concerns that foreign visitors and crews would struggle with its pronunciation.
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The name change occurred in 1966
Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest airport, was officially established as London Airport in 1946. However, the name change to Heathrow Airport occurred in 1966, twenty years after its establishment.
The airport was renamed in the last week of September 1966, and there were a few reasons for this. Firstly, with the rise in prominence of Gatwick Airport, which had opened in 1958, 'London Airport' needed a less generic name to distinguish it from its counterparts. The name change was also intended to avoid confusion with the other two airports serving London at the time, Gatwick and Stansted.
The airport is named after the hamlet it was built on. The current location of Terminal 3 is said to be closest to where the centuries-old hamlet of Heath Row once stood. The hamlet was largely situated along a country lane (Heathrow Road), which divided farmland and heath until 1819, when the heath also became farmland.
The transition to 'Heathrow' was not the only name change considered. The airport was allegedly almost named 'Swintonfield' after the first Minister of Civil Aviation, Lord Swinton. There was also talk in the 1990s of renaming the airport after a significant UK historical figure, Sir Winston Churchill.
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The name was changed to avoid confusion with other airports
Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest airport, was originally called London Airport. The airport was established in 1946, however, its origins stretch back further. Before World War II, Heathrow's site was home to a private airfield called the Great West Aerodrome, which opened in 1929. This facility was operated by UK aircraft manufacturer Fairey Aviation. The airfield was situated near a hamlet known as 'Heath Row' on the outskirts of London.
In the post-war era, air travel became more accessible to the everyday person, and London needed to expand its aviation capacities. This led to the reopening of a newly renovated Gatwick Airport in 1958, which soon attracted many prominent airlines. As Gatwick rose to prominence, it became clear that 'London Airport' needed a less generic name to help distinguish it from its counterpart in the south.
In the last week of September 1966, the airport was officially renamed Heathrow Airport by the British Airports Authority (BAA). The new name was derived from the centuries-old hamlet of Heath Row, which was demolished in 1944 to make room for the airport's expansion. The transition to 'Heathrow' was not without controversy, as authorities worried that foreign visitors and crews would have trouble pronouncing the name.
The name change also served to avoid confusion with the other two airports serving London at the time, Gatwick and Stansted. With three major airports in the London area, a unique and distinguishable name was necessary for effective communication and navigation. The original London Airport, Croydon, was no longer suitable for post-war aviation and lacked expansion potential, which is why Heathrow became the primary airport for the capital.
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The hamlet of Heathrow was demolished in 1944
Heathrow Airport, also known as London Heathrow Airport, is the primary and largest international airport serving London. It is located 14 miles (23 kilometres) west of Central London. The airport was founded as a small airfield in 1930 but was developed into a much larger airport after World War II.
Before the Second World War, Heathrow's site was home to a private airfield known as the Great West Aerodrome. This airfield was situated near a hamlet known as 'Heath Row' or Heathrow. The first known mention of Heathrow was around 1410, when it was referred to as a semi-rural lane that divided farmland and heath. The hamlet of Heathrow was largely made up of farms, market gardens, and orchards, with a country lane called Heathrow Road running through it.
In 1944, during World War II, the development of the entire Heathrow area into a larger airport began. This led to the demolition of the hamlet of Heathrow to make room for expansion. The UK Government continued to develop the site as a civil airport after the war ended. Heathrow Airport was officially opened on March 25, 1946, as London Airport, and it was renamed Heathrow Airport in September 1966 to distinguish it from other airports serving London, such as Gatwick and Stansted.
The name Heathrow is derived from the centuries-old hamlet of Heath Row, which once stood near the airport's current location. Despite concerns that foreign visitors and crews would struggle with the name, it has remained unchanged since 1966.
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Frequently asked questions
The airport is named after the hamlet of Heathrow, or Heath Row, on which it was built.
No, Heathrow Airport was originally called London Airport.
Heathrow Airport was renamed in September 1966.
The airport was renamed to distinguish it from other airports serving London, such as Gatwick and Stansted.
Heathrow was a semi-rural lane that divided farmland and heath. By the 20th century, it was a hamlet with a farm, a hall, and a house.
