London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow (LHR) in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the one of the busiest airports in the United Kingdom and the fourth busiest airport in the world (as of 2011) in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe. It is also the busiest airport in the EU by passenger traffic and the third busiest in Europe given the number of traffic movements, with a figure surpassed only by Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport and Frankfurt Airport. The airport is owned and operated by BAA Limited, who also own and operate five other UK airports. Heathrow is a primary hub for BMI and British Airways as well as a base for Virgin Atlantic Airways.
Heathrow has two parallel east-west runways along with four operational terminals on a site that covers 12.14 square kilometers (4.69 sq mi). Terminal 5 was officially dedicated by Queen Elizabeth II on 14 March 2008 and opened to passengers on 27 March 2008. The airport holds a Civil Aviation Authority Public Use Aerodrome License (Number P527), which allows flights for public transportation of passengers or for flying instruction. |