Gatwick International Airport (LGW)

About London Gatwick International Airport

London Gatwick International Airport is located about twenty eight miles south of London in Crawley, Essex. It is owned by BAA and is the base for many charter airlines, offering approximately two hundred destinations throughout the world. Thirty four million passengers passed through the airport in 2006, making London Gatwick International Airport the second busiest in London and in addition, is the busiest single runway airport in the world. The airport also acts as an important operational base for British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and easyJet.

Parking at the Airport

There is both short and long stay parking available at London Gatwick International Airport, as well as the option of valet parking if required. The short stay car park is situated beside the airport terminals and is ideal for passengers heading out on short breaks or if you are just dropping off or picking up.
There are a number of long stay car parks available at London Gatwick International Airport, the closest of which is Courtlands Gatwick which is only about four minutes away via courtesy bus. Parking Express Gatwick is about five minutes’ courtesy bus ride from the airport and is located beside the South Terminal. There are two car parks about ten minutes’ courtesy bus ride from the airport; Summer Special Parking which is just off the North Terminal roundabout and Gatwick NCP Flightpath which is the closest to the North Terminal itself. Finally Holiday Parking Gatwick is also available and is about nine minutes’ drive from the airport and also operates a courtesy bus service.
There are several long stay airport parking options at Gatwick International Airport. Drop off your car at the car park. A frequent courtesy bus take you to the terminal. An ideal parking solution for longer trips and family holidays.
Valet parking at Gatwick offers the greatest convenience – your car will be parked for you when you arrive at the airport and delivered back to you when you return.
In order to make a booking to secure a space at any of these pre-bookable car parks at Gatwick International Airport via carparking.com

Facilities and Services

There are two terminals at London Gatwick International Airport, offering a wide variety of facilities including toilets and baby changing amenities, money changing services and cashpoints, viewing areas and also a family lounge. There is also an impressive range of shopping and dining options available and two executive lounges, one in each Terminal. The Aviance lounge – Alexandra Suite is located in the North Terminal and the Servisair executive lounge is in the South Terminal. Both of these facilities offer complimentary snacks and beverages and provide a quiet and pleasant ambience for travellers, whether they are intending to work or relax before their journey.

Getting To The Airport

The Gatwick Express has a journey time of approximately thirty minutes and operates between London Victoria and the airport. Other operators serving the airport are First Capital Connect, Southern, South Eastern and First Great Western Link who provide services linking London Gatwick with East Croydon, Kings Cross, Thameslink, Luton, Bedford, Clapham Junction, Brighton, Eastbourne, Portsmouth, Southampton, Redhill, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Guildford and Reading.
National Express and Oxford Bus Company both provide services to over four hundred locations through the country and the 700 service, operated by National Express runs frequently, linking London Gatwick with Heathrow.
There are a number of local bus routes that provide a connection to London Gatwick: Fastway 10, Fastway 20, Route 100 and Gatwick Direct 200. Stops include City Place, Manor Royal Industrial Area, Crawley town centre, Southgate Avenue, Broadfield, Bewbush, Horley town centre, Langshott, Gatwick Road, Three Bridges, East Surrey Hospital, Redhill, Northgate, Maidenbower, Langley Green, Gossops Green, Roffey and Horsham.

Gatwick is located on the A23 London – Brighton Road and at Junction 9 of the M23. About ten minutes from the airport is the M25 which links the airport with the nationwide road and motorway network.

History of Gatwick International Airport

Surrey Aero Club first set up a flying club at the site in 1930, utilising the old Hunts Green farmhouse as a clubhouse. In 1934 a public licence was granted to Gatwick by the Air Ministry, enabling it to be used as a civil airport.

The first flight out of Gatwick was on 17th May 1936 to Paris and further routes were made available to Copenhagen, Hamburg, Isle of Wight and Malmo via Amsterdam. A feature of the airport was the circular terminal which was christened the Beehive. To ensure that passengers remained undercover for the duration of their journey from London Victoria to the time they boarded the play, the terminal boasted a subway path.

At the advent of the Second World War the airport was taken over and used as a base by the Royal Air Force. Some years after the war was over it was decided that an alternative was required to Heathrow and the government chose Gatwick as a suitable site and in 1956 the airport was closed so that the extensive renovations and development could begin.

The works took roughly three years to complete at a cost of 7.8 million pounds and was officially opened by HRH the Queen on 9th June 1958. Over the next few years passenger numbers increased steadily and it became clear that it was necessary to further extend the site and during the early 1960s the terminal was expanded to twice its size and two more piers were added. Passenger levels exceeded 2 million for the first time by 1967 and so further work was commissioned, with the start of construction of a second terminal and a replacement runway. The brand new terminal, which cost £200 million, was unveiled in 1988 by the Queen.

Development of the site continued with a second pier at the North Terminal completed in 1991 and then both the new North Terminal Departures Lounge and the first state of the new South Terminal Departures Lounge which were opened three years later. The second and final stage of the South Terminal International Departures Lounge was completed in 2000 but expansion of London Gatwick International Airport is ongoing as demand continues to grow.