Spotting at Heathrow

I’ll give you 10 minutes until you get moved on 😉

I was stood at Hatton Cross tube station, in full view of a policewoman, and also quite a few police cars went passed me, and nobody batted an eyelid.

Yes well given that if you are on a car park inside BAA perimeter with big “NO AIRCRAFT SPOTTING” signs they might just be more pro active in policing that area.

I’ll give you 10 minutes until you get moved on ;).

I was stood at Hatton Cross tube station, in full view of a policewoman, and also quite a few police cars went passed me, and nobody batted an eyelid.

The last time I was there, I even approached a police officer and asked him if it was ok to spot/photograph the planes around the perimeter…he said strictly speaking the answer would be no, however, as long as you are not right up against the perimeter fence with a camera or binoculars, then he couldn’t see it as a problem. He also said that he does not shoo away spotters/photographers (unless they are clearly causing a nuscience or are in breach of the law) mainly because we all just go somewhere else further up or down the road, and it therefore ends up as a cat and mouse affair, they have got better things to do…

I think he meant a good few years ago :).

I did indeed, but I do think that it should be re-opened, but just have better security. I wouldn’t mind even if they began to charge an entry fee (ie £2) in order to get back some of the money used to install the better facilities, that area was perfect for spotting and taking photos! 😀

The top of the Short stay car park for T2 is a good place to spot, as is the auxillary short stay for Terminal1….But beware…large signs around the top floor saying that all aircraft spotting is not permitted..but the security checks are few and far between..been caught a couple of times in the last 4 years and i just flashed my taxi/private hire badge and said i was waiting for customers on a late inbound flight and they seemed happy enough with that.

There are signs up on the roofs on the car parks saying that you must not look at the aircraft, and to leave immediately. I people who have spent time up there and been OK though, so its a gamble, expensive parking I would imagine too. If you go to the visitor centre, take binoculars, its a fair distance from the runway, good views though.

I’ll give you 10 minutes until you get moved on ;).

I think he meant a good few years ago :).

I can remember, when I used to be at LHR regularly, just using the various Car Park roofs in the centre of the airport to spot from.

Never used to be a problem. 🙁

Which car park roofs are the best for spotting at LHR?

Am learning to drive now, so when I have a car, I may well look to go and see what the view is like.

The Visitors Centre near the Bath Road is still open though, isn’t it? :confused:

If it’s any help, I spent several hours parked up in the Hatton Cross Tube Station Car Park only a few months ago with no problems at all.

Yeah, it’s certainly a good view (of the approach) from there.
But, like I said you miss so much of the stuff on the ground. 🙁

I can remember, when I used to be at LHR regularly, just using the various Car Park roofs in the centre of the airport to spot from.

Never used to be a problem. 🙁

The Visitors Centre near the Bath Road is still open though, isn’t it? :confused:

If it’s any help, I spent several hours parked up in the Hatton Cross Tube Station Car Park only a few months ago with no problems at all.

Thanks for the update guys.

It must be 10 yrs or more since I was last down that way.
I considered the car park at Hatton Cross tube, but was unsure whether it was for tube passengers only (didn’t want to get clamped 😮 )

All the perimeter road is NO Parking.

Cloud 9.

If by “Current Situation” you mean the security threat, it seems a little strange that you’re allowed to stand in the tube station car park. I would have thought that it would be a greater threat of attack from the ground to approaching aircraft from this point. The centre of the airport, namely Queens Building, I would have thought would have been more secure, in light of all the Armed “Feds” that were around.

Still, such is life.

Shame though, because from the perimeter you miss so much. 🙁

The spectators gallery on top of the Queens Building has been closed for a long time (at least 3 years now!), it was closed because of security reasons. You are not the only one that misses it…

I haven’t heard of any plans of it being re-opened, and dought that it will in light of the current situation, however, there is the Heathrow Visitor Centre, which offers good views of the 27R runway. Other than that, the only other place I can think of would be Hatton Cross tube station, but not sure if there is any parking for cars avaliable there…

Hope this helps.

How long has the Spectator area been scrapped, and why?

Was late 2002/early 2003 if I am not mistaken. You can still get into the final approach though with no problems. Hatton Cross tube station, Myrtle Avenue etc.

Are there any plans to re-instate it at a later date?

No plans at all.