London City Airport, another way out
July 24th 2007 11:15
Buckingham Palace - London
Sometimes the Heathrow hell just can't be avoided. There's simply no other way in, or out.
Or is there?
London City Airport, 6 kilometres from the city centre, was bulit on the site of the former Royal Docks. Once a thriving and colourful international centre, crowded with ships and sailors, the docks had declined and deteriorated during the 1960s and '70s, as air gradually outstripped sea travel. A plan was mooted to develop the Docklands as a commercial area. It also included an airport that would be a gateway to the city and a boon to the business community. In 1981, a feasibility study was undertaken, trial flights were carried out a year later and construction started shortly after. The london City Airport was officially opened in 1987 and commercial flights began. Since then there have been a number of extensions and re-vamps. A new, extended runway was launched in 1992 and in 1995, routes were expanded to accomodate business travellers too pressed for time to for Heathrow's queues, in 2000, the commuter count exceeded 1 million and today the airport services flights to 20 European destinations.
The uniformed Commissionnaire in the top hat who opens the door for you at the entrance marks it out as a very different and rather special airport. There are no milling crowds in the check-in hall and no queues at the desks, just a couple of people ahead. Better still, you can check-in just ten fifteen minutes to departure. There are no the huddles of smokers on the pavements outside. Instead they sit in the sun on the benches along the dockside, gazing at the gently lapping waves. Upstairs at immigration, there are the same tiresome strips and scrutinies but, again, there are no queues and consequently, the officials are less people weary and much nicer. The duty-free shops are basically the same but smaller and less crowded. There's a bar, a trattoria and a little kiosk-cafe called Marchais Frais which sells fare that looks, smells and tastes fresh. There are fat, comfortable chairs to wait in if you decide not to cut your departure time to 15 minutes. But best of all, the airport boasts that it can unite arriving passengers with their luggage in 5 minutes!
Unfortunately, to date, London City Airport flies only to European destinations. Great if you happen to be doing a little detour but is theres still no way out of Heathrow hell for the long haul traveller? Well, who knows what plans are in the pipeline for the next decade? In the meantime, why not take a hint from the "house" itself? - take a cheap flight from London City to a lesser European international airport, then connect with your first-leg flight from there. It could take less time and even be cheaper they claim. One thing is certain though, it would involve less pain!
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