Silence of the runways
An unprecedented stillness pervades Heathrow as commercial air traffic is halted following the Icelandic volcano threat.
The terminals are largely deserted, shops are often closed – particularly in airside areas – and staff are either absent or catching up on administrative work.
Heathrow, along with many other airports in Western Europe, is playing a waiting game – biding its time until the winds change and the risk to jet engines from the toxic volcanic dust is removed.
Empty runways, deserted corridors, inactive jetties – the world busiest international airport, has not seen anything like this since it opened in the late 1940s.
There’s still a handful of passengers drifting around.
“I’ve hardly any money, nowhere to stay, I’m just sitting here waiting for things to change” said an American student camped in a coffee bar in terminal 3.
“There’s everything I need here, the weather’s nice, so I’ve been enjoying the sunshine waiting for my flight to New York,” she said.
Staff in the tax-free stores have been restocking, re-arranging their shelves and preparing for the onslaught of passengers once flights resume.
Police walk around the terminals – but with nothing to do it’s a thankless task.
Out on the runways and aprons, it’s quieter still. An odd vehicle drives around; airside operations still do their patrols.
The only frenetic activity is outside the Renaissance Hotel, where the world’s media have taken up position with the northern runway providing a convenient backdrop for TV reporters. But with an unchanging story after three days, even they are starting to lose heart.
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Weather observation for Heathrow at 03:00 BST.
Temperature: 13°C Wind Direction: NNW Wind Speed: 8mph Relative Humidity: 85% Pressure: 1012mb rising Visibility: MO Weather information derived from data from bbc.co.uk.
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