Airport Facilities for Business Travelers
“Four Leading Airports”
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT
From the modest beginnings, Heathrow has flourished into one of the world’s busiest airports, managing over 64 million passengers each year. With that sort of pressure, the strain on facilities sometimes shows. Nevertheless, Heathrow have provided facilities at its best for the passengers to utilize making it more user-friendly as possible.
Facilities
Such facilities as the Heathrow Express train and on-going terminal improvements are aimed at improving the Heathrow experience.
Getting to Heathrow
By Car – All Terminals and appropriate motorway exits are signposted for the accessibility of passengers getting to Heathrow by car. It would take 45-60 minutes journey time from central London, but it is advisable that passengers should allow plenty of time more than what is approximated since Heathrow access road can be busy at all times of the day. In cases of refueling, Heathrow has two fuel stations situated in the main airport complex between Terminals 1, 2, & 3, and the other between Terminal 4 and the M25 motorway.
By Taxi – Taxis can drop off on the forecourt of all terminals and journey takes same as stated above. Fare approximation is about ₤ 35-45.
Train – Heathrow has two rail services from central London. In addition to the London Underground “the tube” is the Heathrow Express train service from London Paddington station.
Bus – Most bus services arrive at the central Bus Station in the main airport area between Terminals 1, 2, & 3. Pedestrian access to the terminals is signposted. National Express shuttle from London Victoria Coach Station to Heathrow runs every 30 minutes. First bus at 07:30, last bus at 23:30 in seven days a week operation all year round.
The Airbus service links to Heathrow Terminals from many west London hotels and Kings Cross and Euston main line rail stations. Departures are every 20-30 minutes with a journey time around 60-75 minutes. These services drop off at Terminal forecourts. Fare: £7 one way, £10 return/round trip.
Departure and Arrival Area Services
Check In
Entering the terminal, the check-in desks are from left to right:
British Midland, Aer Lingus, Finnair and British Airways. BA provides check in for Cyprus Airways, El Al and South African Airways.
If you are flying to Belfast security is still tight. Allow extra time for security checks. Flights to Israel also have additional security. Skycap porters are available for a flat fee of £7 including tip, free to people with special needs.
Luggage Trolleys: Free and plentiful, available on forecourt and occasionally in the Short Stay car parks.
Toilets: With baby care, showers and disabled facilities near Domestic Departures gate, additional toilets near International Departures security area.
Pay Phones: In various areas, some with fax facility.
Currency: Two Bureaux de Change in retail shopping area, Travelex open 05:30 to 22:00, and ICE open 06:00 to 21:00.
ATMs: None on Departures level, the nearest – on the ground floor near the International Arrivals Meeting Point – are currently unavailable during the refurbishment.
Information Desk: None on Departures level. Nearest in the Arrivals area on the lower floor.
Postal Services: Mail boxes in Departures area by the entry doors in the middle of the terminal. The nearest Post Office is in Terminal 2.
Food and Drink: Meals, light refreshments and bars are situated on the mezzanine level above the shopping area. There is a self service restaurant and a burger bar on the Departures level near the Domestic gates.
Shopping: There is a limited range of outlets on the Departures level. For a wider selection at better prices go Airside to the duty free outlets.
Restaurant and Bars
Restaurants and a bar are located on the mezzanine level above the shopping area. There is a self service restaurant and a burger bar on the main Departures level. Access to mezzanine by lift/elevators or stairs ().
LONDON GATWICK AIRPORT
Gatwick Airport is very well served by public transport – trains, buses and coaches. Let someone else be in the driving seat and use the following pages to plan your car-free journey to and from the airport.
Gatwick Express offers dedicated, high-speed travel between central London and Gatwick Airport. With a journey time of just 30 minutes between London Victoria and Gatwick (35 minutes on Sundays), there is no faster way between the heart of the city and the airport. A standard single fare is £12 and a standard return is £23.50.
Location – The rail station is directly linked to Gatwick’s South Terminal and is just a few minutes from North Terminal via a free transit train link. Rail information and ticket desks are located in the rail station and within the arrival areas of both terminals.
Thameslink – Regular service every 15 minutes through Sussex to Brighton. Services every 15 minutes north to East Croydon, central London (King’s Cross), Luton and Bedford.
Southern – Services every 15 minutes during the day to and from London Victoria, and every hour at night. Regular northbound services to East Croydon, Clapham Junction and Watford Junction providing connections to many London destinations. Direct southward services to Brighton, Eastbourne, Portsmouth and Southampton. Single ticket from Gatwick to Victoria is £8, with an average journey time of 35 minutes.
South Eastern – Services to Redhill, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells.
First Great Western Link – Services to Redhill, Guilford and Reading.
Virgin Trains Cross Country – Services operate to destinations including Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh.
All the services you need to make your arrival stress free are at hand. There are clear signs directing you to passport control, baggage reclaim and customs and then through to local transport links, the transit between terminals and the airport car parks.
For that last minute gift or first treat of your trip, you can also shop on arrival at Gatwick Airport – visit the Shopping and Eating section of our website for details of the stores available
Shopping Assistance
Gatwick, Stansted, Glasgow and Edinburgh airports have Personal Shoppers who will help you with your purchases in the shops after security control. At Heathrow this service is provided by Shopping Consultants, who, due to the large number of people that pass through the airport, are only available to advise you on purchases, rather than accompany you while shopping.
British Airport Authority (BAA) airports also offer a Shopping Collection service for passengers travelling within the EU (excluding UK and Ireland flights to/from Heathrow). This allows you to buy before you fly, and collect on your return – saving you the trouble of carrying heavy or fragile goods to and from your holiday destination ().
DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Facilities
- 22 check-in counters incorporating state-of-the-art processing facilities
- 1,300 square metres of Dubai Duty Free designed by CIL, internationally renowned experts in the world of duty free shopping.
- Special bulk purchasing desk at the duty free.
- Banking facilities, ATM machines and restaurants.
- One first and business class lounge operated by Asseman Airlines.
Baggage Services – The baggage and conveyor belts are the widest available on the market and the checked-in baggage is tagged with a special Baggage Reconciliation System which tracks each piece of baggage from check-in through loading. All bags are scanned with barcode scanners and the system stores all information about the location of the baggage. This makes retrieval – whenever necessary – much faster.
Hotel Reservations – Upon arriving at Dubai International Airport, a special one stop travel desk is available in the Arrivals Hall next to the Customs X-ray machines. Passengers can book hotels, tour packages, airline tickets etc.
Transportation – Taxi: Public transport service is very efficient in and around Dubai. Dubai Transport taxis are offered 24 hrs a day in the city and at the Arrivals Terminal. Airport shuttle service: Available between Terminal 1 and 2. Bus service: Bus stations are located opposite both terminals. Bus nos 4, 11, 15, 33, 44 connect with Terminal 1 while bus no 2 connects with Terminal 2 connects with Terminal 2.Special Dubai International Airport Buses have also been introduced which provides custom-built air-conditioned buses with ample baggage hold. These buses serve the most popular corridors in the city center with over 80 hotels and furnished apartments within easy walking distance. The bus service targets both residents and tourists.
Special Lounge – A dedicated lounge for unaccompanied minors and passengers with special needs is available in the Arrivals Hall. Those waiting to receive such passengers can do so here. Airline staff or ground handling staff will bring the arriving passengers to this lounge.
HONG KONG NATIONAL AIRPORT
Transfer between Terminals
A free internal shuttle train runs between the east and west halls of the terminal building from the central concourse basement. Electric vehicles can also transport passengers around the terminal for a fee ().
Driving Directions
From Hong Kong Island, follow road signs to Western Harbour Tunnel. Once out of the tunnel, drive along the West Kowloon Expressway; follow airport road signs and cross the Tsing Ma Bridge to the airport island. Then continue along North Lantau Highway to reach the airport.
Car Rental
Driving is chaotic in Hong Kong and most people choose to hire cars with drivers. Limousine services are available from Intercontinental Hire Car and Parklane Limousine Service, with counters located in the Arrivals hall, and in the Ground Transportation Centre.
Facilities
Money and communications: There is a bank, and several bureaux de change counters and ATMs located throughout the terminal. A post office is located in the Departures hall. Wireless Internet is available anywhere airside in the terminal. A Cyber Break Café is located in the northwest concourse and some 170 PowerPhones for Internet access can be found in the terminal and Ground Transportation Centre.
Eating and drinking: There are more than 150 food and drink outlets, including an Irish pub in the Arrivals hall. Shopping: Shops including gift and duty-free are available. There is a 24-hour convenience store in the Arrivals hall. A pre-order and pick-up service for duty-free products is available. Luggage: Trolleys are available at all passenger drop-off points. A porter service is available at various points, including outside the Departures hall and the baggage reclaim hall. An excess baggage shipping service is also available at aisle K, before check in (tel: 2769 8681). A left-luggage facility is also available in the Arrivals hall (). Lost and found services are available at the customer service centre, the airport police report centre and via the help phones; there is also a lost and found office on level 6 of the terminal ().
Other facilities: There is a medical centre on level 6 () and a pharmacy. The Plaza Shower and Relaxation Lounge on level 7 of the west hall is open 24 hours and provides shower rooms, semi-private napping rooms and a mini salon. There is also an Oriental Massage Centre. Children’s play areas are located near gates 22 and 36, while nursery rooms are located at various points throughout the terminal. A non-denominational prayer room is situated in the check-in hall and is open 24 hours.
Conferences and Business
The PCCW Business Centre is located in the Departures check in hall; services include fax facilities and mobile telephone hire. Further conference and business facilities are available from the Plaza Premium Lounge in the west hall () and east hall (t), as well as the Regal Airport Hotel (). There are several airline lounges.
Disabled Facilities
The airport is fully accessible for disabled travelers. There are plenty of wheelchair-accessible toilets, lifts, ramps and escalators around the airport and Ground Transportation Centre. Car park spaces reserved for disabled drivers are available in car parks 1, 2, 4 and 5. Wheelchairs are provided free of charge by airlines; passengers should inform the airline prior to travel. For more information on wheelchair hire and in-terminal transportation, passengers should contact Worldwide Flight Services Holding SA (). The terminal shuttle train is wheelchair-accessible. Escalators and walkways have audio warning signals, while lifts, toilets and telephones have Braille signs. Tactile path guides and induction loops are installed at various points.
Hotels
The Regal Airport Hotel () is connected to the passenger terminal by a covered walkway. Information counters and a booking service, operated by Hong Kong Hotels Association (), can be found in the Arrivals hall. Airport Express Line rail ticket holders can catch a free Airport Express shuttle bus to many hotel destinations from either Kowloon or Hong Kong stations ().
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