Photo courtesy of Thinkstock
Gatwick Airport, London's second-largest international airport behind Heathrow, has unveiled plans to become the world's most efficient two-runway airport, according to BreakingTravelNews.com.
However, it's all dependent on whether Gatwick is able to secure a second runway.
But as Gatwick's cause gains momentum, recently revealed design plans suggest that the airport's vision could become a reality within 10 years.
"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," said Gatwick Airport CEO Stewart Wingate in a statement. "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," he added.
Some of the improvements detailed in Gatwick's design plans include self-service bag drops, electronic security gates, short taxiing times and the world's quickest aircraft turnaround times.
"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," said Sir Terry Farrell, who produced the animation revealing the latest plans.
For now, the Gatwick Connect service, developed in response to the trend of passengers booking connecting flights themselves to cut costs, is already underway at the airport, allowing 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."
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
