Expansion of Heathrow Airport
The expansion of Heathrow Airport is a series of proposals to add to the runways at London's busiest airport beyond its two long runways which are intensively used to serve four terminals and a large cargo operation. The plans are those presented by Heathrow Airport Holdings and an independent proposal by Heathrow Hub with the main object of increasing capacity.
Plane Stupid activists on the roof of the Palace of Westminster in 2008 complaining about BAA's close links with government
On the day of Terminal 5's opening hundreds of protesters descended on Heathrow in red Stop Heathrow Expansion T-shirts. The protest was kept out of the news by Terminal 5's opening day baggage system problem.
Heathrow Airport, called London Airport until 1966, is the main international airport serving London, the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It is the largest of the six international airports in the London airport system. The airport is owned and operated by Heathrow Airport Holdings, owned mostly by Qatar Investment Authority, Public Investment Fund and CDPQ. In 2023, Heathrow was the busiest airport in Europe, the fourth-busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic and the second-busiest airport in the world by international passenger traffic. As of 2023, Heathrow is the airport with the most international connections in the world.
Heathrow Airport
Aerial photo of Heathrow Airport from the 1950s, before the terminals were built
A Qantas Boeing 747-400 passing over Myrtle Avenue on approach to runway 27L at Heathrow.
Heathrow's control tower amidst departure gates at Terminal 3.