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17-Jul-2012 11:42 AM

London Heathrow to welcome record passenger numbers as busy Olympic arrivals period starts

UK's London Heathrow Airport stated (16-Jul-2012) it was expecting to set a new record for passenger numbers on 16-Jul-2012 as it welcomes athletes to the London 2012 Olympic Games. 16-Jul-2012 marks the start of the busy period for Olympic arrivals and "Britain's biggest peacetime transport challenge". Details include
  • Passengers: 236,955 passengers (121,239 arrivals and 115,716 departures) were expected to pass through the airport on 16-Jul-2012 compared to 190,000 on an average day. This will break the previous record of 233,562 set on 31-Jul-2011;
  • Athletes: 335 athletes were expected on 16-Jul-2012 as part of 1027 Games family arrivals. The busiest day for arriving athletes is expected to be 24-Jul-2012 when 1262 athletes and coaches are expected as part of 3008 Games family arrivals;
  • Volunteers: More than 500 Heathrow and LOCOG volunteers, speaking more than 20 languages, will welcome groups of Olympic athletes and officials from their aircraft from 16-Jul-2012;
  • Olympic accreditation: London 2012 accreditation desks are operational in each terminal allowing Games family members to collect their accreditation for the Olympic Village as soon as they arrive;
  • Immigration: Additional UK Border Agency officers are staffing immigration desks for the peak arrivals period. The airport said border waiting times have been within the targets set by the Home Office, which is responsible for immigration, since new resources were put in place on 15-Jul-2012;
  • Baggage: Additional staff are on duty in the baggage hall. Athletes travel with around twice the number of bags as regular passengers (an average of nearly three items per athlete). Approximately 15% of baggage on peak days will be large pieces of sporting equipment such as canoes, pole vaults, bikes and javelins and around 1000 guns and associated ammunition will be arriving with competitors over the coming days;
  • Onward travel: London 2012 coaches will be operating from airport forecourts for the first time today to transport athletes to the Olympic Village. [more - original PR]

BAA: "Today heralds the start of Britain's biggest peacetime transport challenge and Heathrow's busiest ever period. We are expecting more passengers to travel through Heathrow today than on any day in the airport's history. We have spent seven years preparing for the Games' challenge. Now we are putting that planning into action with thousands of extra staff and volunteers on hand to welcome the world to London. The Olympic and Paralympic Games are a marathon, not a sprint, for Heathrow. The airport has some major challenges ahead, including unprecedented numbers of departing Olympics passengers and bags on 13 August and Paralympic arrivals and departures in August and September," Nick Cole, head of Olympic and Paralympic planning. Source: Company statement 16-Jul-2012.

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