London Heathrow has opened a new plane-spotting observation deck at Terminal 4.
The "View Heathrow" area marks the end of a five-year absence of any aircraft-viewing platform at the airport.
The old Terminal 2 had a plane-spotting platform before it was demolished in 2009 to make way for the new Queen's Terminal, which opens in June (see news, June 2013).
Terminal 4's new 270-degree observation deck is located between gates 15 and 16 and was converted from a former airline lounge. It is open to all T4 passengers during normal operating hours.
It has a view of the southern runway, the control tower and British Airways' Concorde.
Fixed ipads on the platform show live flight radars, so that passengers can identify the aircraft movements in front of them, and binoculars to get a better view.
Kathryn Leahy, director of Terminal 4, said: "We are proud to be opening this viewing facility for passengers. We know that many travellers enjoy plane spotting and we are pleased to be able to provide them with the opportunity to do so once again."
Last week, Star Alliance's chief executive told Business Traveller that passengers travelling through the new Terminal 2 will encounter a "completely different" customer experience (see news, February 20).
Graham Smith