Press Release

Issued by .

February 19, 2010

The new passenger terminal at The London Heliport will open for business in the next couple of months, well ahead of the Farnborough Airshow which is already generating demand for rapid helicopter connections to and from the show. 

The impending opening follows the formal handover of the site by the builders, Weston Homes, on February 11th which paves the way for the staff at The London Heliport to transfer operations to the new passenger terminal during the coming weeks. As soon as this is complete, the old terminal will be demolished to make way for additional apron space which will increase helicopter parking capacity and with it the ability of the heliport to handle increased movements at peak times. 

The London Heliport is operated and managed by PremiAir, the UK's leading executive helicopter support company. At the building's handover David McRobert, PremiAir's Group Managing Director, said: "We're all really excited about the change the new terminal facilities will bring to executive helicopter travel in the UK.  Within a couple of months, heliport users will be able to use world class business aviation facilities which we believe are unique in the helicopter world. The terminal is directly linked to Hotel Verta, a fantastic new 5 star luxury hotel, so heliport users will have direct access to superb facilities, including conference rooms, entertainment suites, spa facilities, bars and restaurants. This has to be a first in business aviation."

Hotel Verta, owned by von Essen Hotels, PremiAir's sister company, will formally open its doors to clients in the summer to offer a unique set of facilities all within a short drive of London's West End. 

Neil Gibson, PremiAir's Head of Charter & Management said: "I can see the new facilities becoming a major boost to the UK executive helicopter charter industry and we're confident that the added value the new facilities will offer will help introduce the benefits of executive helicopter travel to new users.  The old facilities are 50 years old and London's capital badly needed the investment to bring its only licensed commercial heliport up to date. Now we have an FBO that is world class and we can't wait to open the doors to the helicopter fraternity in a few months' time."

PremiAir is once again running helicopter shuttle services to and from Farnborough Airshow and has already taken many bookings, including several from leading US aerospace corporations, determined to beat gridlocked motorways. The 20-minute shuttle trips from the London Heliport are operated by Eurocopter AS355 Twin Squirrel and Sikorsky S76 VIP helicopters, offering executive seating for four and up to seven passengers, respectively.  Contact +44 1895 830900 or e-mail charter@premiair-aviation.com.