Heathrow Airport is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom, busiest airport in Europe by passenger traffic, fifth busiest airport in the world by total passenger traffic.
However, the airport started life in 1946 as a small grass airfield. Privately owned, the Great Western Aerodrome was used largely for test flying with commercial flights taking off from nearby Heston and Hanworth Park airfields.
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| Entrance to public post office, 1955. |
A new, permanent building arose in the central area at the start of the 1950s, replacing the tent.
As traffic boomed Heathrow Airport found itself with an ever-increasing demand for passenger facilities. The Queen inaugurated a new building in 1955 (Terminal 2) and the tunnel which provides the main road access to Heathrow's central area was opened.
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| Restaurant and cafeteria, 1950s. |
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| Hungarian-American actress Zsa Zsa Gabor arrives at Heathrow, 1956. |
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| Fortes Duty Free shop, 1950s. |
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| Fortes snack bar, 1950s. |
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| Fortes snack bar, 1950s. |
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| 1950s. |
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| Fortes Grill and Griddle restaurant, 1950s. |
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| Elizabeth Taylor and husband, film producer Mike Todd, 1958. |
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| Britannic Bar, 1950s. |
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| Britannic Bar, 1950s. |
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| Airside, restaurant seating area overlooking apron, 1950s. |
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| Airside, restaurant seating area overlooking apron, 1950s. |
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| Fortes Grill and Griddle restaurant, 1950s. |
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| American opera singer Maria Callas, 1958. |
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| Airside restaurant seating area, 1950s. |
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| Seating in the Europa building, now called Terminal 2, 1950s. |
