What London airport?

[PanamaJack]

Hi all

I have a few passengers who are going to London for a meeting in the middle of the week. They need to be in the centre of town, picadilly area, sometime before noon.
The aircraft is a small citation.

Looking for recommendations on what airport to use with regards to ease of getting in and out of (with the aircraft), reasonable prices, convenient for the passengers to get to their meeting etc.

Biggin Hill was recommended to me by someone who used to go to London alot, but it was along time ago, not sure if his info is current.

Also, any info on how long it would take from airport to centre of town would be appreciated.

Many thanks

[Capetonian]

It depends what you mean by 'the centre of town'. I'm not trying to be funny, but to some that would be the City, which is in the East (LCY would be your nearest commercial airport), to others it would be the West End.

[PanamaJack]

Sorry, London is not a city I know very well...
In this case, centre of town would be the picadilly area.

[VIKING9]

EGKB by far the best option. You have a PM.

[Capetonian]

Then I guess you'd be looking at Northolt, it was an RAF airport but is now used for civilian traffic, and transfers in by taxi/limo. I am sure someone who knows the GA airports will either confirm this or come up with a better suggestion.

[long final]

Northolt would probably be your best bet. Certainly the best transfer option time wise. Will be pricey compared to Biggin though.

They will want 24 hours notice though if you do go there.

[Miles Magister]

I used to regularly take an owner into Northolt but switched to Luton. I found it was cheaper and slots were easier. Most of all the ladies at the FBO used to take the pax straight from the a/c to the train station where they could travel in to london fist class with a train every 10 mins or less much quicker than they could from Northolt. On return the FBO staff were waiting at the station for them and brought them straight back to the a/c. Used to work well.

MM

[PanamaJack]

Thanks everyone who contributed...
Looks like it´s between Biggin, Northolt and Luton....
I´ll have a chat with some FBO´s and look at fees etc before making my decision.

[cessna24]

London Southend Airport, EGMC, has a rail link direct to Liverpool Street which takes 40 mins, {Rochford Station}. Or you can get to London by car in about an Hour {being sensible}. The airport handles props and jets up to the size of BBJ {commercially}.

London Southend Airport (http://www.southendairport.com/)

c24

[Vino Collapso]

You have to be realistic.

North Weald is a pure VFR field with no IFR procedures and no licenced ATC. It has many things going in its favour as a recreational aerodrome but it would have to improve its facililties dramatically if it were ever to compete in the corporate market. (which the owners do not want to happen).

Southend can hardly be called London. It can take BBJ if they are operating empty and they have a good trade in B737 maintenance positioning empty. If they ever get the go ahead to extend the runway it might be more attractive.

The OP is looking for somewhere to operate a Citation so you can look outside of the normal destinations to places like Blackbushe or Cranfield. But in the end if your pax want a top level FBO near London then stick with the old favourites of Farnborough, Biggin Hilll, Luton, Northolt and City.

[JSCL]

LCY is a nice option, but highly expensive. Take a look at Biggin Hill?

[cessna24]

Vino Collapso,
on a light hearted conversation type, Southend can handle the BBJ,s. I have loaded fuel onto a B727 for a direct flight to Jedda so if the runway can handle a beast like that, A BBJ will be a walk in the park!!
And I used to fly a King Air 200 out of there a few years back. It was a great little place to have one based. Watch this space with Southend, give it a year or so and you wont recognise the place!:ok:

c24

[Capetonian]

My suggestion of Northolt was based purely on the speed and ease of getting to Piccadilly by road, rather than aviation based considerations.

I assume that people who are flying in on a private jet are not going to take public transport, particularly the tube, which is more like a sewer, to their final destination.

[Exascot]

Northolt, it was an RAF airport but is now used for civilian traffic


A small technicality. RAF Northolt IS an active Royal Air Force station.

RAF Northolt - RAF Station homepage (http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafnortholt/)

My first Royal Air Force posting and my wife's last.

As quite rightly noted in this thread it takes civilian traffic.

[VIKING9]

RAF station or not, EGWU handling/slots/PPR is now managed entirely by the Jet Centre.

[I.R.PIRATE]

Go to Luton, deal with Signature, and you will have nothing to worry about.

[Mark Ranger]

Being not a pilot myself, but a bit of a transport anorak, and noting Piccadilly being the venue for the meeting, you may want to factor in the transit times, and if you are not already, make sure you have onward transport laid on - particularly if you are coming into Biggin. I am told it is important to get someone who knows the back roads into London from Biggin.

Equally, Luton to Piccadilly is straight forward - apart from the last bit. I am sure the FBO you use will have a deal with a chauffeur drive and I would have thought that is money we spent.

Hope I am not stating the obvious for you professional guys here - in fact it would be interesting to know how involved you would normally get in ensuring a smooth transition from aircraft to final destination.

Cheers

Mark

[25check]

I get the distinct feeling that there is a lot of biased self interest being expressed in some of these posts....

[con-pilot]

Has anybody mentioned Farnborough Airport, EGLF? I used it for years. Now admittedly during the wrong time of day, the drive into London can take a rather long time, but no longer than from Luton or Biggen Hill at the same time of day.

[forget]

Capeton.... ..... not going to take public transport, particularly the tube, which is more like a sewer.

You last used the London Underground when - 1947?

[heli14]

Don't forget you can always fly to a smaller, cheaper airport on the outskirts, then get a heli transfer into Battersea Heliport. While it's not always the most convenient point, it's a lot closer to London than Luton, Stansted etc.

Various operators, depending on your budget & number of pax

PremiAir www.premiair.co.uk (http://www.premiair.co.uk) (AS355, A109E, B222, S76)
Starspeed www.starspeed.co.uk (http://www.starspeed.co.uk) (AS355, EC135, AS365, EC155)
Harrods www.airharrods.com (http://www.airharrods.com) (A109E/S, S76, S92)
Helicopter Services www.helicopterservices.co.uk (http://www.helicopterservices.co.uk) (R44, B206, AS355, A109C)
London Helicopter Centres www.london-helicopters.co.uk (http://www.london-helicopters.co.uk) (EC120, AS355)
Rotormotion www.rotormotion.com (http://www.rotormotion.com) (A109)
...to name but a few...

[I.R.PIRATE]

( if you were referring to me 25check )


I am only a pilot, and having used most of the airports mentioned, I merely give advice on my personal experience. I have no connection whatsoever to Signature or Luton airport, but have always been extremely satisfied with their service.

Location wise I would never choose anything other than City, however prices, and the fact that I am not allowed to fly in there - make that an impossibility.

Stansted is my second choice, for when I cant get into Luton.

[Opsbeatch]

Who would you use at Stansted I.R.?

OB

[Opsbeatch]

Either Harrods or Inflite are great at Stansted, fantastic facilities....unlike a certain garden shed there :ok:

OB

[I.R.PIRATE]

While the service from within the Garden Shed is great - I wouldn't take my VIPS through that facility. Unacceptable. Thats why, if we are being handled by the 'gardeners gnomes from the shed' I ensure that the pax have no business whatsoever in their building. Vehicle to and from the aircraft, so they don't even have to see the 'building.'

Harrods and Inflight, yup, if I could choose, although we used to use one of those, and have recently moved to the shed for their handling - not their facility. Would be great if we could trade the 'shed' for one of the other facilities, but ... we have had some issues.:E

[Biggin Still]

Harrods and Inflight, yup, if I could choose, although we used to use one of those, and have recently moved to the shed for their handling - not their facility. Would be great if we could trade the 'shed' for one of the other facilities

Builders moving on site in August to re-build the shed and make it all new in side and out :ok:

[TUGNBAR]

Builders moving on site in August to re-build the shed and make it all new in side and out

Lots of builders moving into Stansted Airport by the look of all these applications.


Stansted Airport Planning applications (http://planning.uttlesford.gov.uk/portal/page/portal/plan/search)

[merlinxx]

..and forget all the historic self serving "bovine Scatology" and use EGKB. Use the airport folks not an FBO :ok:

[OXF ATC]

.....cheaper
.....an hour and a bit to/from west end (no worse than some others here)
.....longer opening hours
.....outside very busy LTMA
.....very easy access, hassle-free, very fast turntimes
.....from touchdown to leaving airport entrance in 5 mins
.....from 22 mins in helicopter (on-site) to London Heliport as alternative
.....maintenance for almost all biz aicraft types on site
.....friendly ATC, of course.....


Not that we're biased of course!

[Biggin Still]

Oxford

dont forget London Glasgow,
also cheap and outside the London TMA with the added benifit of a long runway.....:}

[Opsbeatch]

Hope they don't put stairs in the new shed...:p

OB