The first recorded reference to Heathrow (sometimes spelled La Hetherewe), a semi-rural lane. Until the heath was converted to farmland in 1819, Heathrow separated cropland and heath. The route specifically separated Hounslow Heath, a hideout for highwaymen in the 17th and 18th centuries, from Harmondsworth, a village that now occupies the northwest corner of the airport. The perimeter road of the airport also includes a small portion of Stanwell, Hatton in Bedfont, and Harlington.
Richard Fairey, a British aeronautical engineer and aircraft constructor, created Fairey Aviation in 1915. The company initially assembled and tested its aircraft at Northolt Aerodrome, which is located about six miles north of the current Heathrow airport. 1917–1919: Hounslow Heath Aerodrome, located about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) southeast of Heathrow, was the only airport in London with a customs facility in 1919. Hounslow Heath Aerodrome was shut down in 1919, and Croydon Airport took its place as the main airport serving London.
The new airstrip was still being built as World War II came to a close. Plans for a flimsy military use during a war have been converted to the construction of an international airport. A photograph taken in 1945 depicts the original plan of the airport, which included three runways, a perimeter road that was narrower than the latter airport border, the continuation of the former country lanes, Perry Oaks Farm, and some of the structures along Cain's Lane amid the fields outside of this perimeter.
Additionally, there has never been much room for parking in this location (parking lots are being created farther from the airport). This effectively illustrates the variations present at the airport's conception. Since travelling was a luxury, it was common for people to be driven to the airport. Following the opening of Terminal 5 in 2008, British Airways vacated Terminal 4. According to Heathrow's reports, it currently houses 35 different airlines, the most of any terminal. In March 2023, Zambia Airways made its first announcement regarding the purchase of the Boeing 737-800NG. The 189-passenger aircraft will represent the airline's entry into the regional African market and is likely to be configured entirely in economy.