Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited (formerly BAA) is the owner and operator of London Heathrow Airport, Britain's aviation hub. It is owned by FGP Topco Limited, a consortium led by infrastructure specialist Ferrovial S.A. This article will provide an overview of Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited, its ownership structure, history since 1930 and its location and surroundings.
1. Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited
Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited was formerly known as British Airports Authority (BAA). The company owns and operates London Heathrow Airport, one of the world’s busiest airports with more than 80 million passengers passing through its terminals every year. The company also runs other airports in the UK including:
- Stansted
- Glasgow
- Edinburgh
- Aberdeen
- Southampton
2. Ownership of FGP Topco Limited
FGP Topco Limited is the ultimate parent company of Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited. It is owned and led by the infrastructure specialist Ferrovial S.A., which holds a 25% stake. Other owners include Qatar Investment Authority (20%), Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) (12.62%), GIC (11.20%) and Alinda Capital Partners (10%). The remaining shares are held by China Investment Corporation, Universities Superannuation Scheme Ltd and Aviva Investors.
3. History Since 1930
The life of Heathrow Airport started way back in 1930 when a British aero engineer and aircraft builder, Richard Fairey, paid the Vicar of Harmondsworth £ 15,000 for a 150-acre plot to build an airport. On March 25 1946, it officially opened to the public. Over the years, it has grown into one of the largest airports in the world, stretching across four different passenger terminals.
4. Location and Surroundings
Heathrow is 14 mi (23 km) west of central London. It is located 3 mi (4.8 km) west of Hounslow, 3 miles south of Hayes, and 3 miles north-east of Staines-upon-Thames. It falls entirely within the boundaries of the London Borough of Hillingdon and under the Twickenham postcode area, with the postcode TW6. It is surrounded by the villages of:
- Sipson
- Harlington
- Harmondsworth
- Longford
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