Heathrow is not simply one of the world's great airports, it is almost a city in itself. Over 70,000 people work here, with over 100,000 additional jobs working in the supply and service industries. It is estimated that Heathrow contributes well over five billion pounds a year to the British economy.

90 airlines use Heathrow, transporting over 70 million passengers to 180 destinations throughout the world. Heathrow handles nearly half a million flights a year. Nearly 60% of all airfreight carried in the United Kingdom goes through Heathrow.

Heathrow is the third largest airport in the world and the busiest for handling international passengers. There are five terminals, the most recent being Terminal 5, opened in 2008.

Heathrow is the largest single site employers in the United Kingdom.

These are all impressive statistics which show the importance of Heathrow to London and the United Kingdom as a whole.

The airport is now pretty much full. It currently operates on only two runways, compared to five at Amsterdam and four at Charles de Gaulle Paris. As a result, the UK Government has approved the building of a third runway. However, building this runway is projected to take several years, given the levels of opposition from various groups, including local residents and climate change protestors.

Heathrow is one of five London Airports, and by far the largest.

The others are London Stansted, London Gatwick , London Luton, and London City.