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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/oct/25/heathrow-airport-an-ever-expanding-story
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| Heathrow airport: an ever-expanding story Heathrow airport: an ever-expanding story | |
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| Heathrow started life in 1930 after British aero-engineer and plane builder Richard Fairey paid the vicar of Harmondsworth £15,000 for a 60-hectare (150-acre) plot to build a private airport for assembling and testing aircraft. The site had only a single grass runway and a couple of rudimentary buildings. | Heathrow started life in 1930 after British aero-engineer and plane builder Richard Fairey paid the vicar of Harmondsworth £15,000 for a 60-hectare (150-acre) plot to build a private airport for assembling and testing aircraft. The site had only a single grass runway and a couple of rudimentary buildings. |
| During the second world war, the government requisitioned land around the village of Heathrow, including Fairey’s Great West Aerodrome, to build RAF Heston, a base for long-range, troop-carrying aircraft bound for east Asia. | During the second world war, the government requisitioned land around the village of Heathrow, including Fairey’s Great West Aerodrome, to build RAF Heston, a base for long-range, troop-carrying aircraft bound for east Asia. |
| Heathrow was demolished and land cleared for runways. After the war ended the aerodrome was handed over to the Air Ministry as London’s new civil airport on 1 January 1946. The first aircraft to take off from Heathrow was a converted Lancaster bomber called Starlight, which flew to Buenos Aires. | Heathrow was demolished and land cleared for runways. After the war ended the aerodrome was handed over to the Air Ministry as London’s new civil airport on 1 January 1946. The first aircraft to take off from Heathrow was a converted Lancaster bomber called Starlight, which flew to Buenos Aires. |
| By the end of Heathrow’s first operational year, 63,000 passengers had travelled through it. By 1951, this number had risen to 796,000 and British architect Frederick Gibberd was appointed to design new buildings, including a control tower, 122ft (37 metres) high. | By the end of Heathrow’s first operational year, 63,000 passengers had travelled through it. By 1951, this number had risen to 796,000 and British architect Frederick Gibberd was appointed to design new buildings, including a control tower, 122ft (37 metres) high. |
| Terminal 1 opened in 1969, by which time 5 million passengers per year were passing through the airport and the jet age arrived with Boeing 707s, VC10s and Tridents. | Terminal 1 opened in 1969, by which time 5 million passengers per year were passing through the airport and the jet age arrived with Boeing 707s, VC10s and Tridents. |
| In the 1970s, Concorde and wide-body jets such as the Boeing 747 were flying from Heathrow, and by the end of the decade 27 million passengers were using the airport each year. Terminal 4 opened for business in 1986. Terminal 5 opened in March 2008 while a new Terminal 2 opened on 4 June 2014. | In the 1970s, Concorde and wide-body jets such as the Boeing 747 were flying from Heathrow, and by the end of the decade 27 million passengers were using the airport each year. Terminal 4 opened for business in 1986. Terminal 5 opened in March 2008 while a new Terminal 2 opened on 4 June 2014. |
| Today, more than 67 million passengers travel through Heathrow annually, with 90 airlines flying to more than 180 destinations in over 90 countries. | Today, more than 67 million passengers travel through Heathrow annually, with 90 airlines flying to more than 180 destinations in over 90 countries. |
| By the time Heathrow celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2006, it had served about 1.4 billion passengers on more than 14m flights. | By the time Heathrow celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2006, it had served about 1.4 billion passengers on more than 14m flights. |
| Source: Official Heathrow website | Source: Official Heathrow website |