The Airbus A380 ultra-large transport is "absolutely critical" to the strategic development of Heathrow Airport. Plans are also in hand by airport operator BAA for long-term development of A380 facilities at Gatwick and Stansted airports.
"The A380 will change the face of Heathrow Airport and the face of long-haul travelling," Eryl Smith, business strategy, planning and development director of the BAA, said at the show yesterday.
BAA is investing £450 million in developing the necessary facilities at Heathrow to cater for the aircraft when it begins operating into London from 2006.
"It is a very exciting and very challenging programme, and what we are doing is based on a true partnership over 10 years between the three major players, the airport, Airbus and the airlines," he said.
At least half a dozen airlines will begin operations into London using the A380 in the first two years after entry into service of the type, and BAA is projecting that one in eight aircraft movements will be made using the A380 by 2016.
That will enable the airport to handle up to 95 million passengers a year without having to exceed its 480,000 aircraft movement capacity. Heathrow is currently at 460,000 movements a year.
"It means that a slot-constrained environment will not prevent us from developing further," said Smith.
The projection of one in eight flights being operated by the A380 could translate (with full passenger loads) into an extra 10 million passengers a year through the airport without any increase in flight movements.
Heathrow is preparing for the introduction of the 555-seat A380 with a range of modifications, including the repositioning of some taxiways, expansion of check-in and baggage reclaim facilities, and the creation of new aircraft stands.
Jetties
The stands will each have two passenger loading jetties to serve the aircraft's upper and lower decks. BAA has built in the option of creating a third jetty if it is needed in future.
The terminal work is focused on Terminals 3 and 4. Terminal 5, now under construction and due for completion in 2008, will have A380 handing infrastructure incorporated from the outset.
Smith said that based on statements made by BA itself, he believed that in the long-term, the British airline would have A380s in its fleet.
"BA wanted [the new] Terminal 5 to be designed to take the next generation of aircraft. It is our intention to remain the leading international airport and the A380 is part of that strategy."
MIKE MARTIN
Source: Flight Daily News
