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Cheap Heathrow Airport Parking » Airport Information>History History of Heathrow AirportThere is debate as to where the name came from for Heathrow airport. At the present time, the origin of the name is of much less importance than the success story behind Heathrow.
Fairey Aviation opened the airport, largely as a test centre for commercial flights, in the 1930s. At the time it was called the Great Western Aerodrome.
Another debatable issue is why the airport was requisitioned by the Royal Air Force, which never used the airfield at all. One story is that Lord Harold Balfour deceived the government committee which finally sent the requisition to build Heathrow. He told them that it was needed in the war effort against Japan as a base for long-range transport aircraft. When it opened, it came under the control of the Ministry of Air. Control was transferred two years later to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Lord Balfour’s own writings reveal that he intended Heathrow to be a civil airport rather than being used for military purposes.
The first civil flight was in 1946. It was simply a refuelling stopover for a flight from Lisbon to Buenos Aires. The airport opened with no permanent building to be used as a terminal. It had a large tent on the loading area where people waited to board planes. The first permanent terminal was built in the 1950s. In the first months of the airport, it had three runways and three more under construction.
A modern style runway was begun in 1953 after Queen Elizabeth II ceremonially placed a concrete slab on the site of the proposed runway. Two years later, Queen Elizabeth II opened the Europa Building which later was called Terminal 2. She also opened a tunnel connecting the road access to the central area of the airport.
Two other terminals were opened in the 1960s, making the airport more able to handle the crowds coming into it. The fourth terminal did not appear until 1986.
A connection to London’s Underground linked London to Heathrow in 1977. Travellers could travel one hour on the Piccadilly Line to get to the airport from central London.
British Airports Authority (BAA plc) was privatised by the British government in 1987 which involved seven airports including Heathrow.
By 2001 Heathrow Airport had earned the reputation of being the world’s busiest airport. That year it handled 64 million passengers.
Today Heathrow Airport has outstanding rail and road links to London and other parts of the country. This former grass runway airport has far exceeded anyone’s expectations. The other forms of transportation are eager to be included in any plans that Heathrow makes.
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