Summary

  • Heathrow’s roundabout became prime ad space in 1990, starting with BA’s Concorde model.
  • Emirates replaced BA as the advertising space holder with an Airbus A380 model in 2008.
  • Other airlines like Etihad and Qatar have followed suit, using model aircraft to advertise.

Passengers who have traveled by road to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) will probably have seen the huge model aircraft on the roundabout leading to Terminals 1, 2, and 3. Back in 1990, as one of the busiest airports in the world, London Heathrow’s owners, the British Airports Authority (BAA), recognized the revenue-making potential of the roundabout and began to offer its advertising space to the highest bidder.

The British Airways Concorde

At the time, the UK’s flag carrier, British Airways, was preparing to restart Concorde flights from London Heathrow to Barbados (BGI), and came up with the idea of placing a model of the aircraft on the roundabout. The 80-foot-long model was constructed in four main parts with the wing and tail attached and was placed on the roundabout in September 1990. To prevent it from being vandalized, it was monitored by CCTV and had an infrared perimeter alarm connected to the Heathrow police station.

BA Concorde LHR roundabout

Despite the security measures, in July 1991, rival carrier Virgin Atlantic airline pulled a publicity stunt by changing the model’s livery to look like a Virgin Atlantic aircraft to mark the arrival of the airline’s first flight into London Heathrow.

With British Airways’ roundabout advertising contract up for renewal and the airport’s operators BAA asking for a whopping £1.5 million ($1.9 million) per year, the Concorde was removed in the mid-2000s. At the time, the airline was also in the process of moving to its new home at Terminal 5, so the location of the advertising space no longer met its needs.

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British Airways donated the model to the Brooklands Motoring and Aviation Museum in Surrey. The museum restored and repainted the model to match the livery of G-BBDG, the Concorde that it has in its collection.

Emirates Airbus A380

British Airways’ departure left the roundabout’s lucrative marketing potential up for grabs. After seeing off stiff opposition from six other bidders, Dubai-based Emirates made the winning bid, immediately renaming the space as the Emirates Roundabout.

Emirates A380 roundabout

In early 2008, to celebrate Emirates’ first Airbus A380 flights to London Heathrow, the airline commissioned a one-third replica of the A380. The model aircraft took six months to build in California before being transported over to the UK from Ontario International Airport (ONT). The model A380 was delivered on a chartered Antonov An-124 cargo aircraft, and a special crane had to be flown in from Germany to help install the model on the roundabout.

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At the unveiling ceremony in July 2008, the airline’s president, Tim Clark, was quoted by Emirates 24/7 as saying,

“We expect this landmark site to become an icon for both Heathrow and Emirates,”

“While the previous Concorde model represented the past, our A380 represents the future – and it is a future of cleaner, quieter aircraft.”

Emirates Airbus A380 flying

Photo: Emirates

According to John Leahy, the Airbus chief operating officer for customers at the time,

“It is fitting that the world’s largest commercial aircraft is replicated by what we believe is the world’s biggest aircraft model at the world’s busiest international airport.”

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Emirates went on to become the world’s largest operator of the Airbus A380, and currently flies the aircraft up to six times per day to London Heathrow. The airline’s model A380 remains on the roundabout today and still represents a lucrative marketing opportunity, with more than 55,000 vehicles driving past it each day. Emirates has also made use of the model’s prominence to showcase its support for the United For Wildlife campaign.

Other airlines follow suit

Since the Emirates model A380 arrived at the Terminal 3 roundabout, other airlines have begun to follow suit across the airport – both Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways have adorned the Terminal 4 roundabout with model aircraft, advertising their brand.

Qatar Airways LHR branding

Photo: Qatar Airways

According to Akbar Al Baker of Qatar Airways, as reported by AV Magazine,

“We are fully committed to serving passengers in the UK – one of our key markets– and we are confident that our new branding at Heathrow brings to life some of the exciting products and services we have on offer.”

The Director of Sales at JCDecaux Airport, Arianne Riddell, showed his enthusiasm about Qatar Airways’ future by saying,

“With this high-impact out-of-home installation at the T4 roundabout, Qatar Airways will dominate the approach to Terminal 4, harnessing the full potential of this key location with a eye-catching display.”

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  • heathrow_17581988126223

    London Heathrow Airport

    IATA/ICAO Code:
    LHR-EGLL

    Country:
    United Kingdom

    CEO:
    John Holland-Kaye

    Passenger Count :
    19,392,178 (2021)

    Runways :
    09L/27R – 3,902m (12,802ft) |
    09R/27L – 3,660m (12,008ft)

    Terminals:
    Terminal 2 |
    Terminal 3 |
    Terminal 4 |
    Terminal 5

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