Airline boss slams "outdated" Heathrow

The head of one of the world's leading airlines has unloaded on London's Heathrow Airport, saying it is not fit for purpose.

Emirates Airlines chief Sir Tim Clarke described Britain's busiest airport as a “Second World War” era facility, industry portal Travel Mole reports.

Heathrow opened just after the end of the war in 1946 and Clark says Terminal 3, where Emirates is based, is looking outdated and showing its age.

It "looks like a utilitarian structure, post-Second World War" he said at the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA’s) annual meeting in Dubai.

He said any new owner of Heathrow must be prepared to invest.

Heathrow is "seriously lagging behind" airports in the Middle East and Asia for customer service innovations, he added.

“New airports are built employing the latest tech to streamline their processes, whether it be security, check in, immigration or whatever.

“I’m hoping that the new owners will get that but airports worldwide are not famous for spending money.”