UK Airport Codes
Not all Airport codes are as obvious as you might think! We've Alphabetically listed every UK Airport along with their Airport code starting with Aberdeen Dyce Airport and finishing with Westray Airport.
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Gatwick and Heathrow Facts & Figures
Gatwick Airport is the 6th busiest international airport in the world with around 30 million passengers, 70 airlines, 200 destinations, 18 Gatwick parking companies and over 30 Gatwick hotels nearby.
Heathrow Airport is the UK's busiest airport and the worlds second busiest cargo airport. Around 64 million passengers use the airport every year flying with 90 international airlines to approximately 170 world wide destinations. There are over 13 Heathrow Airport parking companies and some 23 Heathrow Airport hotels serving the millions of business and leisure travellers alike.
A Brief history of Airport codes
In the early years of 20th century flight, there were no international airports and no mass demand for cross continent or international flight. The only necessity in the early years of flight were a strong stomach, favourable weather conditions and a good eye for the landing field or an alternative landing site if things went wrong. The 1930's saw the dawn of a new era as the advances in aircraft technology made air travel for ordinary passengers possible. Every decade since has seen huge leaps in both aircraft technology and the number of passengers taking to the air making air travel what it is today.
As the popularity of air travel increased, newer, bigger and better airports were built to satisfy the ever increasing demands such as Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Luton and Manchester airports to name but a few. With the increasing number of airfields across the world, it became necessary to introduce a code system so that the worlds airports could be identified with a simple 3 character code. Although 3 Characters doesn't sound like much, it actually provides over 17,000 unique code options for the worlds airports.
The modern day airport and air travel business
Air travel is now accepted as a normal part of our daily lives with many people jetting of on holiday or business at least once a year. With plummeting prices and the growing trend of the "no frills airlines", commuting by air on an almost daily basis has become a viable option for many. With flight times of around an hour, many business people now commute between England, Scotland and Ireland from airports such as Gatwick, Dublin, Manchester and Belfast. The airport industry has grown far beyond what the Wright brothers could have possibly dreamt back in 1903 and as a result, a whole host of additional airport services have been created.
In the earlier years of air travel, it was simply a matter of turn up, check-in and fly. Today, passengers can book a whole host of additional services to make the pre or post flight experience more comfortable and enjoyable such as an airport hotel, airport parking, meet & greet parking and of course an airport lounges. Most airport hotels are located either at or within just a few miles of the airports making them a perfect choice for passengers that have an early morning or late night flight. With an overnight rest, passengers can look forward to their flight or the long drive home fully refreshed and the day ahead.
Almost all airport hotels offer some form of airport parking for the duration of your journey, usually on-site at the airport hotel or at a near by airport parking facility. The airport parking business has also become an industry in its own right as more people choose to drive to the airport, rather than rely on a lift from a friend or relative or book an expensive taxi. The benefit of driving to the airport is clear as travellers don't have to worry about waiting for a lift home or keeping money aside for the cab fare home at the end of their holiday. Passengers can choose from over 10 airport parking providers at Gatwick alone such as APH airport parking, Cophall airport parking and Gatwick Parking Express to name but a few, all of which offer secure parking for the duration of your journey with 24 hour security and CCTV.
Another business that has done well over recent years is that of airport lounges, once seen as a luxury for first class travellers and business people, this facility is now an affordable alternative for any traveller who wishes to enjoy a little VIP treatment before their flight. Airport lounge facilities are available at most of the major UK airports including Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Luton and Stansted airports often providing complimentary drinks, free snacks, comfy sofas and chairs, TV & internet access.
It's hard to believe that only a hundred or so years ago, with flight times of just a few seconds and the real chance of serious injury or death, man was barely leaving the ground in pursuit of powered flight. It's amazing to think of where we are now with hundreds of thousands of people around the world travelling this way. The growth of the aviation industry continues today and is fuelled by the growth of the internet as more and more people assess the internet to easily compare and book the airport services that they require online.
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