International Airport

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Heathrow Terminal 2

On the ground, Heathrow Terminal One - which closed nearly half a century after it opened - will be little mourned. The new Terminal 2 of Europe’s biggest airport opened on schedule (with Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales aboard the first departure) in June 2014.

Staying in the capital, Southend was acknowledged to be an important component in the London airport system by the Airports Commission, and for short-haul hops to destinations such as Amsterdam and Geneva it is delivering a refreshingly simple and stress-free experience - with the added bonus of faster flight times due to its advantageous geographical location, making it quicker and cheaper than Stansted, Luton or Gatwick.

Sadly, another leading British seaside resort lost its airport in 2015; Blackpool closed down in the face of intense competition from Liverpool and Manchester.

In the continuing absence of Berlin’s long-delayed Brandenburg airport opening (originally scheduled for 2012), the overseas search for the best airport largely focuses on the traditional favourites: Singapore Changi, Amsterdam Schiphol and Hong Kong.