Hounslow Jobs Working at Heathrow

Thousands of people travel through London Heathrow International Airport every day 77000 people work there. It is a major employer for people living in Hounslow. Heathrow (LHR) is like a small city covering over 3000 acres of land with currently 4 terminal buildings (Terminal 2 is being rebuilt) and 2 runways. Over 18 million vehicles pass through the tunnel each year and the airport is used by 88 different airlines of which the main one is British Airways.

The airport which is owned and run by BAA, is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority as far as the actual airport, airlines, aircraft routes and flights paths and traffic control (National Air Traffic Services) is concerned.

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) runs passport control. They decide whether or not you get into the country, are deported, can seek asylum or go to the detention centre. They control the import and export of goods, charge duty and impose fines. This body which used to be called Customs & Immigration, is responsible for preventing illegal activities such trafficking of prohibited goods such as drugs, tobacco and alcohol.

There is an aviation branch of the Metropolitan Police who maintain security and safety at the airport and is responsible for combating any terrorist threats.

Transport is provided by the BAA who run Heathrow Express, London Underground who run the Piccadilly line tube. Buses are run by transport for London, National Express and other providers. Car hire and taxis are also available from all terminals.

There are hundreds of employers in and around Heathrow and Hounslow and lots of different roles – some full time, permanent, part time, temporary and requiring shift work. You may well have to work nightshifts, weekends and bank holidays. Languages skills could be useful especially French, Spanish, Russian and any of the Asian or African languages

There are airside jobs for which you will have to go through security checks to get an airside pass.  These will include baggage handlers, cargo operatives, ramp agents, groundstaff, working in flight operations, people working in a VIP lounges, serving or providing beauty and make up and all other roles that are the other side of passport control.

Lots of jobs will require you to be both airside and/or landside. You might be an engineer, electrician, doing construction, installations or maintenance, a driver driving a van, forklift or one of the many other vehicles on the airport. You could be working as a sales assistant in one of the retail shops like Boots, WH Smiths, World Duty Free or as a waiter in a restaurants or bars. You could be doing anything to do with passenger services.

On the landside you may be on check in, ticketing, doing an admin or data entry role. You may be a bus driver, taxi driver or a parking attendant. You could work in one of the hotels or any of the businees that support the airport.

The major employers at Heathrow are BAA, British Airways and Virgin. If you are looking for a job in customer services or, the fire service, baggage handling or administration, it’s worth checking the BAA and British Airways sites.

Some of the positions are in the public sector. If you fancy being an air traffic controller, apart from the control tower most of this work is based in other parts of the country. The UK Border Agency is not recruiting at present. It could have some admin roles locally which will be available through the job centre. To work for the Police who work closely with the UK Border Agency to ensure the safety of travellers, visitors, staff and the public generally, you would need to apply to the Met direct.

In the private sector there are lots of roles around the airport - not just avionics jobs, there are jobs for cleaners, drivers, customer services, security managers or officers, part time and temporary.

There are a number of individual businesses who provide retail shopping and catering facilities. Some of the jobs here can be applied for direct to the company concerned and others will be handled by local employment and recruitment agencies. You can, of course, look for jobs online

Working at Heathrow can be lots of fun. Whether you work in Terminal 1, Terminal 3, Terminal 4 or Terminal 5 (Terminal 2 is being completely reconstructed), there are a number of social clubs and events run by various employers and, of course, if you work for an airline, there are travel advantages. Steve who works for BA baggage handling has travelled all over the world with his staff discounts. It also a great place to meet people. It should be with the 77000 that work there and all the travellers passing through.

Do you work at Heathrow? Tell us about your job, your experiences or any amusing incidents that you have come across.