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Gatwick Airport – Things You Didn’t Know
Gatwick airport is London’s second biggest airport. It stands in the top 30 busiest airports in the world, and is the 8th largest in Europe by passenger traffic. It also has the single busiest runway in the world.
This airport was once a trans-continental powerhouse, but in recent years has focused on providing a transportation hub for European destinations in particular. Even with the recession, Gatwick has continued to offer services in all three tiers of international flight, including services to charter airlines, no-frills carriers like EasyJet, and major full service airlines like British Airways.
Though it is a relatively old airport, it has been regularly modernized, and just recently they announced a further one billion pound investment would be made in improving their infrastructure. Those responsible for running the airport feel that this investment will allow them to match, or even surpass, Heathrow airport, whose shadow it is has constantly had to exist under, in terms of amenities and passenger accessibility.
With a long history as a major hub of air travel, Gatwick has served as a gateway between London and the rest of the world for millions of people. However even with all the things Gatwick is famous for, there are just as many elements of its history that are not quite as evident, and can be a joy for the inquisitive historian to discover.
#1 – Advances in Architecture
In 1936, Gatwick unveiled the world’s first circular airport terminal, dubbed the Beehive. Though they are commonplace these days, it was an extraordinary achievement for the time. There was a rail link directly to the terminal, and for the first time passengers could directly board their aircraft instead of having to travel across the runway on foot or by bus. While passengers today might take the combined approach for granted, it all began at Gatwick and set the stage for future endeavors.
#2 – A Former Racecourse
The site where Gatwick now stands used to be used for horse racing. Now called Gatwick Airport Station, this point was originally the Gatwick Racecourse Station, and even retained this name up until the opening of the Beehive forty five years later. The course even served as a substitute for the Grand National when the bombings in World War I made it unsafe to use the original course.
#3 – Private Fliers
Gatwick was not originally build to be a public airport. In its early years, it was used as a home for a private flying club. The Surrey Aero Club used their growing prestige to promote interest in flying in general, and helped contribute to the continued growth of the airfield, to the point that Gatwick received its first commercial flying licenses in 1934.
#4 – World War II
During the second World War, all available resources had to be turned toward keeping Britain safe from the German Luftwaffe. Planes that were based at and flew from Gatwick airport played a pivotal role in Britain’s success in winning the battle of the skies, which ultimately led to the success of the Allies as a whole.
#5 – The Queen Of England
Gatwick has been graced on two separate occasions with a Royal presence at important opening ceremonies. Queen Elizabeth II first attended to re-open the airport after it underwent a major redevelopment in 1956, and she returned thirty years later with her husband Prince Phillip to preside over the opening of the new North Terminal.
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If you’ll be arriving in the UK via Gatwick Airport, and need a Gatwick car hire company, then visit http://www.gatwickcarhire.org.uk
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