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London Heathrow Airport has solidified its position as Europe's busiest airport, handling over 80 million passengers annually. The airport, which serves as a base for British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, achieved its highest passenger numbers in 2024 and continued to set records in May of this year.
Heathrow's historical significance dates back to the early 1950s when it played a key role in launching the jet age of commercial aviation. The world's first commercial jet flights took off from Heathrow, then known as London Airport, with the de Havilland Comet under BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation). "In the wake of World War II, British plane manufacturer de Havilland had been working on a jet called the Comet that would revolutionize commercial air travel," states historical records.
The inaugural scheduled commercial jet service began on May 2nd, 1952, with a route from London to Johannesburg. This historic flight covered 6,670 miles with multiple stopovers and demonstrated the long-range capabilities of the new aircraft. Despite its groundbreaking design, the Comet faced significant challenges due to structural flaws that led to fatal accidents and ultimately resulted in its removal from service by 1954.
