A Brief History
Gatwick Airport, a former Aerodrome owned by the Redwing Aircraft Company was requisitioned by the Royal Air Force in 1939 and used for aircraft maintenance.
Aircraft maintenance continued following the war, but a number of charter companies started to use Gatwick for mostly cargo flights.
Stansted airport was favoured as London's second airport and Gatwick's future was in doubt. In 1950, despite opposition the cabinet decided that Gatwick was to be designated as an alternative to Heathrow Airport. BEA started flying from Gatwick and BEA Helicopters opened a base at the airport. And following major redevelopment which began in 1952, Queen Elizabeth II performed the official opening in 1958.
The new Gatwick was the world's first airport with a direct railway connection, and was one of the first to use a fully enclosed pier-based terminal design with covered jetbridges connecting waiting areas directly to aircraft.
Throughout the 50s and 60s passenger figures grew and despite modifications to the existing terminal and the opening of the satellite pier in 1983, there was still a need for expansion. In 1988, the North Terminal was completed which connected to the south terminal with a rapid transit system. In May 2005 the £110 million pier 6 was opened along with the new sky bridge walkway which linked an extra 11 piers to the north terminal.
Traffic
In 2005, the airport handled over 32.6 million passengers, flying to around 200 destinations. Charter airlines are generally not allowed to operate from Heathrow and many use Gatwick instead as their base.
Many flights to and from the USA also use Gatwick because of restrictions at Heathrow.
The airport is a secondary hub for BA and Virgin Atlantic.
Address
London Gatwick Airport
West Sussex
RH6 0JH
+44 (0)870 000 2468
By Car
Gatwick is 28 miles south of London linked to the M23 motorway at junction 9 and to the A23. The M25 is a 10 minute drive from Gatwick.
Checker Cars can be pre-booked with fares paid in advance by cash or credit card, or at the end of the journey. Cars with swivel seats are available for disabled travellers. Contact Checkers Cars South or Checkers Cars North.
Bus / Coach
The coach station is at the ground floor of South Terminal and main services also call at North Terminal.
There is also the Inter Terminal Transit which takes 3 minutes.
Speedlink Airport Services operates the coach and bus information desks in both terminals
Rail
Gatwick Express is a direct 30 minute service between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport which runs every 15 minutes from 05:20 to 00:50 and hourly overnight.
The railway station is linked to the South Terminal and trains to the rest of the UK are offered by South Central, Connex South Eastern, Thames Trains and Virgin Trains Cross Country.
Rail information and ticket desks are in the arrivals areas of both the North and South Terminals. For more information contact National Rail on +44 (0)8457 48 49 50
Services
- Bureau de Change and cash machines in both terminals
- Information kiosks in both terminals
- Left Luggage by north terminal near entrance
- Luggage Trolleys available throughout
- Mail boxes and stamps available in both terminals
- Chapel
- Payphones
- Toilets with showers, baby changing and disabled
facilities
- Airport Lounges in both terminals
- Conference and Business Centre - 7th floor, south terminal
Disabled
- Ramps
- Wider access pathways
- Telephones at accessible heights
- Disabled toilets
- Reserved seating
Children
- Feeding and changing roomsin both terminals
- Play area in South terminal
- Video games in both terminals
Shopping
| Terminal | Retail Outlets |
|---|---|
| North and South | Newsagents, gifts, accessories, books, music, jewellery, health and beauty and Duty Free. Boots, Body Shop, Virgin, W H Smiths, Accessorize, Dixons, Tie Rack, Sunglasses Hut, Topshop, Harrods and several designer shops |
Eating
| Terminal | Catering Outlets |
|---|---|
| North Terminal - Landside | The Bridge Bar, Café Uno Presto, Costa, McDonalds |
| North Terminal - Airside | Aqua, Chez Gerard, Cavier House, Eat, Garfunkel's, Metro, Starbucks, Pip, JD Weatherspoon, Yo Sushi. |
| South Terminal - Landside | Café Nero, Frankie and Bennys, McDonalds, Pizza Express, Starbucks, JD Weatherspoon |
| South Terminal - Airside | Metro, Caviar House, Est Est Est, Garfunkels, McDonalds, The Sports Bar, Upper Crust, Yates |
General Advice
- Avoid Dehydration - Do not allow yourself to become dehydrated as this is a common cause of discomfort when flying. Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol.
- Avoid deep Vein Thrombosis - Try not to sit still for extended periods. Move around the cabin when possible or go to the toilet. Most airlines include a handbook of exercises that you can do whilst seated which you will find in the pocket of the seat in front of you. If you feel unwell at any time alert a member of the cabin crew immediately.
- Finally, never travel without insurance because this will protect you should something happen which results in your travel plans changing.
Check-In
This step-by-step guide should help your check-in run more smoothly:
- Check your baggage allowance with your airline before you leave home. If your luggage is over your limit, you can be charged a hefty fee. You could even be forced to leave some of your belongings behind. This can hold you up.
- When you arrive at the airport check the screens which will direct you to the correct check-in area.
- Disabled Parking is available for badge holders.
- Try and check in with plenty of time to spare before your flight. As a guide, for domestic flights allow one hour, for European and long-haul flights allow three hours. Not only will this allow you to do some all-important duty-free shopping, but it will ensure that you don't miss or hold-up your flight.
- Finally, check that you not only have your passport, but that is it still valid. Little can be done for passengers who do not have a valid passport in their possession.
Departure Lounge
While you are waiting in the departure lounge, you will need to check the boards regularly to find out which gate your flight is boarding from. These details are usually posted around 45 minutes prior to the departure time. The guide below gives an idea of how long it will take you to walk to each gate from the departure lounge: Please note: Smoking is only permitted in the designated areas.
Duty Free Allowance
- Your duty free allowance will depend upon which destination you are travelling to.
- Passengers travelling outside the EU are entitled to 50% off UK high street prices, and can shop in the Green area of Duty Free Shop.
- Passengers travelling within the EU are entitled to 15 - 20% discount on UK high street prices on a range of brands, and can shop in the Blue area of the store.
- All passengers can save up to 40% on fragrances after security control.
Security
With airport security being tightened over recent years, it is important that you follow security guidelines to avoid delaying yourself and other passengers, or worse, being refused boarding. Follow our tips as a guide:
- Check-in in plenty of time so that any hold-ups do not result in you missing your flight.
- Do not carry any sharp or harmful objects in your hand luggage. These include knives, tweezers, scissors and aerosols. If any such object is found in your luggage you will be asked to remove it and leave it behind.
- All bags and coats must be placed through the x-ray machine.
- There are many bars and restaurants at London Gatwick Airport, but try to resist the urge to drink too much before boarding as this can often lead to refusal to travel by cabin staff for the safety of themselves and other passengers.
