London Heathrow's owner, BAA, says it is spending "many millions of pounds" on modifications to accommodate Airbus A380 operations. It expects A380 services by resident carrier Virgin to begin in 2006, and regular inbound customers Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qantas and Qatar Airlines to start operations there the same year. Given that Heathrow - a small airport in terms of ground area - is short of parking and gate space, it is an intimidating prospect because even the first operating part of its new terminal, T5, cannot be ready before 2008.
But Heathrow is already one of the world's most severely slot-constrained airports, and part of its business expansion strategy depends on the A380 and any future ULA competitor.
BAA Heathrow says one third of all T5's gates will be sized to accommodate the A380, and the terminal's internal infrastructure for those gates will be designed to cope with arrivals and departures of up to 650 passengers per aircraft movement. This is 100 passengers more than Airbus's standard three-class configuration for the type, and similar to the capacity of the proposed stretch A380-900.
BAA Heathrow will have to deal with ever-increasing numbers of A380 departures and arrivals for at least two years using its present terminals as airlines take delivery of the aircraft in 2006/07. The necessary work is already in progress. Airport operators say "a structured programme of stand reconfiguration sufficient to meet the fleet growth at Heathrow" is under way. Airbus advises that check-in for an A380 departure will need 10-13 desks.
The greatest challenge Heathrow faces is the A380's wingspan - 15m wider than the Boeing 747's. BAA says this means widening its taxiways to meet ICAO standards for taxiway separation from runways and other movement areas.
Source: Flight International
