New designs show how Gatwick will be world’s most efficient two-runway airport

An expanded Gatwick would be the world’s most efficient two-runway airport – flexible and responsive to meet the changing needs of passengers and airlines – as new images and an animation produced by Sir Terry Farrell released today show.

The airport will operate to reflect changing trends in passenger travel and the plans demonstrate how queues will be eliminated, passenger transit through the airport will be sped up, and aircraft turn-around will match the quickest in the world.

The design has been revealed as momentum continues to build behind Gatwick’s case for a second runway. New advertisements to be published this week highlight that Gatwick’s plan is comparatively simple and low risk and can be delivered in just ten years, by 2025. In comparison, the obstacles facing Heathrow cast doubt on whether a third runway there could realistically ever be built

World class improvements and services at Gatwick will include:

• self-service bag drops and electronic security gates that will eliminate queues
• passengers will reach boarding gates just 30 minutes after arriving at the airport
• Gatwick will match the world’s quickest aircraft turnaround times
• exceptionally short taxiing times reducing operating costs and engine emissions
• push back to take off will be just seven minutes (compared to 45 minutes at a more complex and sprawling three runway Heathrow)
• passengers will connect with flights leaving from different terminals in just 45 minutes, compared to 105 at Heathrow, and
• connection times from the same terminal at Gatwick will be just 30 minutes. 

These planned improvements have been designed to meet the future needs of passengers, but even today Gatwick is responding to emerging trends.

The Gatwick Connect service is already in operation and allows passengers to travel on a combination of independently operated flights and transfer through Gatwick without having to transport their bags through the airport or check-in twice.

The service is a response to the increasing number of passengers who are bypassing traditional ways of flying by booking connecting flights themselves – often to save money.  This is in contrast to the airline booking the connecting flight for them, either with the same airline or with one of their airline partners.

Increasingly passengers are exploiting the range of new flight options available and are ‘self-connecting’ between a mix of low cost short and medium haul, charter and long haul flights depending on their budget and needs. Unlike Heathrow, Gatwick Airport caters for all these types of flight and not just full service legacy carriers.

Gatwick Airport CEO Stewart Wingate said:

“An expanded Gatwick can be delivered quickly and at no additional cost to the taxpayer so the UK can reap the economic benefits of expansion sooner. The way we travel is changing fast and we have to change with it – only Gatwick can cater for all passengers, travelling to any destination, with any airline type, now and into the future.

“Our plan recognises that traditional methods of transferring are in decline with many passengers exploiting new options to ‘self-connect’ between a mix of low cost short and medium haul, charter and long haul flights depending on their budget and needs.

“Gatwick Connect – our ground-breaking service – is an example of us already responding to changing passenger behaviour and the needs of passengers will remain central to our plan to expand.”

Discussing his design for the Gatwick of the future, Sir Terry Farrell said:

“Farrell’s has designed what Skytrax has twice voted the best airport in world, and has been involved in many more, but we’ve raised the bar yet higher with our elegant masterplan to make Gatwick the world’s most efficient two runway airport.

“Queues have literally been designed out and the new terminal will be simple and convenient to use with few changes of level. 

“The airfield itself would also offer the shortest taxiing distances possible with the new apron sitting between, and in close-proximity to, both the existing and new runways.