Heathrow Airport “comes together” to mark 60 years since The Beatles’ first North America trip

Heathrow colleagues recreating The Beatles’ 1969 album cover “Abbey Road” on a pelican crossing outside Terminal 5. CREDIT: Heathrow Airport

Heathrow Airport marked 60 years, on 22 February, since The Beatles returned from their first tour to North America in 1964. The iconic band landed at Heathrow, then London Airport, to be welcomed by a crowd of over 4,000 adoring fans following their two-week trip across the United States.

To celebrate the anniversary of their return, Heathrow colleagues from the Terminal 5 Passenger Experience Team have come together to recreate three of The Beatles’ most famous album covers: Abbey Road, The Red Album, and Help!. Favourite songs by The Beatles are also being played across Heathrow’s terminals to commemorate band-members Paul, John, Ringo, and George’s return to home soil.

Heathrow colleagues recreating The Beatles’ 1973 album cover “The Red Album” from a balcony inside Terminal 5 Arrivals. CREDIT: Heathrow Airport

Musical history at Heathrow Airport 

The band departed on Pan Am flight 101 from Heathrow Airport to New York City on February 7th, 1964, just one week after their hit single “I want to hold your hand” reached number one on the Billboard Charts. During the trip the Liverpudlian band became the most well-known group in America and in the six months that followed, achieved seventeen Top 40 singles and six number one hits.

In its 78-year history, Heathrow has played a part in numerous cultural moments including HM Queen Elizabeth II first stepping foot on UK soil after becoming sovereign while in Kenya, England Rugby Team’s touch down in the UK following their 2003 World Cup win, as well as The Beatles’ departure and arrival for their subsequent 1966 North America tour.

Heathrow colleagues recreating The Beatles’ 1965 album cover “Help!” outside Terminal 5 Arrivals. CREDIT: Heathrow Airport

Heathrow welcomes have also been immortalised in the opening scene of the romantic comedy film Love Actually, with our teams lucky enough to see the same emotional reunions every day as the UK’s hub airport continues to welcome passengers from all around the world.