London Airports Information
London is served by 5 airports – a proof of the high number of visitors to the city each year. These 5airports are Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and City Airports. Of these 5, Heathrow Airport is thelargest and most-used for international arrivals. Heathrow has undergone renovations and refurbishments in recent years, in a bid to ease traffic congestion and improve efficiency.
Heathrow Airport
Heathrow Airport is owned by BAA, Ltd (as with other airports) and comprises 6 terminals. Terminal 1is currently the main terminal serving domestic flights but is set to be demolished come 2013 or 2014. Terminal 2, the oldest terminal at Heathrow, was demolished in the summer of 2010 and is now underconstruction to become a newer and bigger terminal serving international flights. Most of the long-hauland popular international routes are served at Terminal 3 with leading airlines such as Emirates,Singapore Airlines and Qantas. Terminal 4 is the main terminal for airlines under the SkyTeam allianceserving international routes from European nations to as far as Malaysia. Terminal 5, the newest terminal with a people mover transit system, is the exclusive hub for British Airways. Most BritishAirways flights depart and land in Terminal 5.
Three trains are available from the airport : namely the Heathrow Express to Paddington (terminal 5),Heathrow Connect to Paddingtong (from terminals 1-4) and London Underground Piccadilly Linebringing travelers to central London in 40-50 minutes (all terminals). Passengers can take the RailAir coach service to connect to their RailAir train ride to other parts of England from Heathrow. Buses areavailable to the downtown and central London at the airport bus terminal. Do check with the airportstaff the exact bus route number to take before boarding.
Gatwick Airport
Gatwick is the 2ndbusiest airport in London after Heathrow and predominantly serves British Airways,Aer Lingus, EasyJet, FlyBe, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Airlines and US Airways. It has 2 terminals – the North and the South Terminals. Gatwick Airport Rail Station provides transport for travelers into central and other parts of London from the airport. Local bus services are offered by Metrobus and FastWay, with routes to different parts of London. Easy and accessible movement between the two terminals is possible with the people mover that transports travelers between the two terminals inminutes.
Stansted, Luton and City Airports
These 3 airports serve low-budget air carriers such as Ryanair and Air Asia X. Stansted Airport alsoserves cargo arrivals and departures. As with other airports, rail and bus services to all parts of Londonare available from the respective airport terminals. Stansted lies northeast from central London. Luton
is located in Bedfordshire and City Airport lies east from the central of the City of London.
General Information
As per normal, all airport taxes are already included in the total price of the traveler’s air ticket(s).Heathrow and Gatwick offers a wide range of retail shops for the shopper to do some last minuteshopping, including duty-free shops. Restaurants serving all types of cuisines and tastes are found readily at both Heathrow and Gatwick and more local tastes and fast food chains such as Burger King at the 3 smaller airports serving low-budget carriers. Medical care can be found in Heathrow Terminal1 with physician and pharmacists to attend to individuals. Money changers and ATM can be found inall 5 airports. Maximum weight for one baggage at Heathrow is 32kg, and if it exceeds 32kg you will be liable for over-weight baggage fee and might possibly have to repackage it into smallerportions (check with airlines). No pets are allowed at all airports except for guiding dogs. All airports have wi-fi internet access. Request for disability provisions and services can be made by calling theairport before the scheduled arrival at the airport or calling the airlines individually.