The hotel was built for J. Lyons and Co. in 1960, and designed by Russell Diplock & Associates.

[3][4] According to a promotional fold-out brochure published by the hotel in March 1962, the hotel's name referenced the 1842 Aerial Steam Carriage monoplane design of William Samuel Henson and John Stringfellow.

The hotel was built with 185 rooms, and its doughnut design allows it to offer dedicated single-bed rooms around the inside ring,[1] an unusual feature among Heathrow hotels.

[7] On 15 February 2020, the hotel became a temporary quarantine centre during the COVID-19 pandemic and was closed to the general public for around a month.

[8] As of June 2024[update], the website appears to be accepting bookings as normal.