Gatwick Airport

Gatwick Airport
Name	Gatwick Airport
Iata	LGW
Icao	EGKK
Type	Public
Owner	Global Infrastructure Partners
Operator	Gatwick Airport Limited
City served	London, United Kingdom
Elevation ft	197
Website	Official website

Gatwick Airport Gatwick Airport is a major international airport serving London and the surrounding South East England region. Located near Crawley and Horley in West Sussex, it is the second-busiest airport by passenger traffic in the United Kingdom after Heathrow Airport. The airport operates one main runway with a secondary standby runway and hosts a diverse mix of full-service carriers, low-cost airlines, and freight operators linking Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, and South America.

History

Gatwick's origins trace to a small aerodrome and racecourse in the early 20th century near Tinsley Green and Honeybridge; it later evolved through civil aviation developments connected to Brock Aerodrome and interwar air services. During World War II, the site was requisitioned and adapted for military use, interacting with units from the Royal Air Force and contributing to wartime logistics alongside bases such as Farnborough Aerodrome. Postwar civil expansion mirrored patterns at airports like Heathrow Airport and Manchester Airport, with the 1950s and 1960s seeing construction influenced by policies from the Ministry of Aviation and planning debates involving Greater London Council interests. Major milestones included the opening of a new terminal complex in the 1950s, the commissioning of a second terminal area in the 1980s, and privatisation moves that led to involvement by investors such as BAA Ltd and later Global Infrastructure Partners. High-profile events at the airport intersected with incidents involving aircraft from carriers including British Airways, Air France, and Lufthansa and with regulatory oversight by the Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom). Gatwick also featured in cultural references alongside locations like London Gatwick railway station in transport literature and media portrayals involving RAF histories.

Facilities and terminals

The airport complex comprises the North Terminal and South Terminal, with inter-terminal connections and passenger facilities comparable to terminals at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 and Stansted Airport. Passenger amenities include lounges operated by companies linked to airlines such as easyJet, Norwegian Air Shuttle, and British Airways as well as retail areas featuring brands present at hubs like Gatwick Airport Railway Station and shopping schemes similar to those in Heathrow Terminal 3. Ground handling and cargo facilities serve freighters from operators such as FedEx Express, UPS Airlines, and Cargolux. Air traffic control services are coordinated with units akin to NATS (air traffic control), and firefighting and rescue capabilities align with standards used at Birmingham Airport and Glasgow Airport. Surface facilities include long-stay car parks and business aviation services comparable to those at Farnborough Airport.

Airlines and destinations

A broad mix of scheduled and charter carriers operate routes to hubs including Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Paris–Charles de Gaulle Airport, Frankfurt Airport, Madrid–Barajas Airport, and Dubai International Airport. Low-cost networks link to airports such as Barcelona–El Prat Airport, Milan–Malpensa Airport, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, and Dublin Airport, while long-haul services connect to JFK International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Orlando International Airport, and seasonal links to Mombasa and Cape Town International Airport. Cargo routes and ad-hoc charters involve operators like Atlas Air and Silk Way West Airlines. The airport hosts bases for carriers including easyJet, TUI Airways, and has historically been an operating base for airlines comparable to Virgin Atlantic and British Airways.

Ground transport and access

Rail access is provided via the nearby station offering services by operators similar to Southern (train operating company), Thameslink (train), and Gatwick Express connecting to London Victoria, London Bridge, and London St Pancras International. Road links use the A23 road and proximity to the M23 motorway with coach services by operators such as National Express and Megabus to destinations including Heathrow Airport and Brighton. Local bus services interface with towns like Crawley and Horley, and cycle routes tie into regional networks promoted by bodies like West Sussex County Council. Parking, drop-off zones, and taxi ranks coordinate with licensed operators regulated in ways similar to arrangements at Heathrow Airport and Stansted Airport.

Operations and statistics

Annual passenger throughput has ranked the airport second in the United Kingdom, with pre-pandemic figures comparable to other major European hubs such as Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Paris–Charles de Gaulle Airport. Aircraft movements, cargo tonnage, and on-time performance are reported alongside benchmarks used by ACI Europe and monitored by the Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom). Seasonal peaks align with holiday flows to Mediterranean and Canary Islands destinations, mirroring traffic patterns at airports like Manchester Airport and Bournemouth Airport. Noise and environmental monitoring programs engage stakeholders including Surrey County Council and West Sussex County Council and reference standards from agencies such as the Environment Agency (England).

Expansion and future plans

Planning proposals have included runway resilience, terminal capacity schemes, and surface access improvements debated in forums with organisations like the Department for Transport (United Kingdom), Local Enterprise Partnership bodies, and municipal councils including Crawley Borough Council. Investment by infrastructure owners followed precedents set by projects at Heathrow Airport and Manchester Airport, with proposals addressing sustainability targets aligned to commitments similar to those by Airports Council International and emission initiatives paralleling work at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Controversial proposals for additional runways or expanded night flight regimes prompted consultations involving groups such as West Sussex County Council, local community organisations, and transport campaigners who cite examples from expansion debates at Stansted Airport and Heathrow Airport.

Category:Airports in England