Heathrow’s 75th Birthday!
Posted on 17th June 2021 at 09:53
May 31st 2021 was Heathrow’s 75th birthday. This is a special anniversary for the UK’s and Europe’s busiest airport (before Covid hit), as they celebrate 75 years since opening as a commercial operating hub.
Before it became the Heathrow we know today, it was a very small airfield (similar in size to say, Cranfield airport) and was called The Great West Aerodrome. This opened in 1929, in between the two world wars.
Today marks 75 years since we became a commercial airport. Despite the most difficult year in our history, we're using this milestone as a chance to reflect on the journey we've undertaken and look ahead at what the next 75 could bring. #Heathrow75
When World War II started in 1939, like many small airfields, the government turned it to be used as a military base, known in this case, as RAF Heston, in order to help with the war effort . After the war, the government continued the development for use as a civil airport. Believe it or not, Heathrow was known as London Airport up till 1966, when it was renamed Heathrow
“Whilst the first commercial flight to depart ‘London Airport’ was on 1st January 1946, the airport didn’t officially open until 31st May 1946, with passenger terminals made from ex-military marquees that formed a ‘tented village’ along the Bath Road.”
Can you believe, the years first passenger numbers were about 60,000
Heathrow airport serviced over 80 million passengers in 2019, and 21 million last year due to the pandemic. A massive drop of 60 million…
Let’s hope Heathrow can continue to trade for at least another 75 years.