Airports of London

However, from 2009 to 2020, British Airways had operated a flight to New York–JFK, via Shannon, using an Airbus A318 – the largest aircraft that can be handled at the airport.

Due to the location in London's western suburbs, Heathrow has had trouble trying to expand, with various expansion projects being cancelled.

[11] However, on 1 July 2015 Heathrow's expansion plan was suggested as the best option by the Airport Commission and on 25 October 2016 a new northwest runway and terminal was approved by the Government.

Heathrow serves six continents around the world, and is the base for the flag carrier British Airways in Terminal 5.

However, because it is operating at capacity, Heathrow has been unable to increase service to cities in the newly industrialised countries such as China, falling behind European bases like Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Paris–Charles de Gaulle.

[21] Stansted Airport railway station is situated in the terminal building directly below the main concourse.

[26] Birmingham Airport has argued that High Speed 2, once complete, would make it an attractive option for London passengers.

Due to London's airports, particularly Heathrow, operating at full capacity, Boris Johnson, London's former mayor and former UK Prime Minister, and Sir Norman Foster historically proposed a new airport, either on a man-made island in the Thames Estuary, or on the Isle of Grain in north Kent.

The plans met with opposition from some people living nearby, warning the airport would cause a significant increase in bird strikes.

[28] Some other people and local businesses, recognising the depressed levels of economic activity in north Kent, were supportive and argued that London needed a new airport in order to be able to compete in the world.

In total, there were 30 international destinations from London, and another 3 domestic routes, that handled more than 1 million passengers in 2011: Heathrow Airport is a major hub for flights across the North Atlantic.

The busiest long-haul route in the world is between London (Heathrow and Gatwick) and New York (JFK and Newark), with a total of 3,898,460 passengers travelling between the two cities in 2011.