On 25 August 1919, a converted Airco DH.4A biplane carrying a single passenger, several journalists, and a cargo of newspapers and leather goods lifted off from Hounslow Heath Aerodrome and flew to Paris–Le Bourget. Later that same day, a second flight departed for the same destination. These journeys marked the inauguration of the world's first regular daily international commercial air service.
The First Scheduled International Flight
The morning flight on 25 August 1919 was piloted by E.H. 'Bill' Lawford, who guided the aircraft registration G-EAJC across the Channel to Paris. The route was operated by Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited (AT&T), a company founded in 1916 by George Holt Thomas, a newspaper proprietor and aviation visionary who saw potential for commercial air travel in the post-war era.
Later that afternoon, Cyril Patterson piloted an Airco DH.16 on the same route, establishing the pattern of a daily service that would run between Hounslow Heath and Paris. The DH.16 was a modified bomber with an enclosed cabin that could accommodate four passengers, marking a significant step toward recognisable air travel.
From Military Base to Commercial Hub
Hounslow Heath's transformation into London's first international airport began during the First World War. The Royal Flying Corps established an airfield there on 14 October 1914, just ten days after Britain entered the conflict. By March 1915, approximately 200 military personnel were receiving intensive flight training at the site.
The aerodrome grew in importance throughout the war. On 1 September 1915, 24 Squadron RFC was formed at Hounslow Heath under the command of Major Lanoe Hawker VC. This was the Royal Flying Corps' first single-seat fighter squadron. When the Royal Air Force was created on 1 April 1918 through the merger of the RFC and the Royal Naval Air Service, Hounslow Heath boasted four permanent hangars and several Bessonneau canvas hangars.
The RAF vacated the airfield on 1 June 1919, handing control to civilian authorities. Within weeks, the site became Britain's first international commercial airport.
A Brief but Pivotal Era
The commercial aviation era at Hounslow Heath lasted just eight months, from June 1919 to March 1920. During this period, multiple operators established routes from the aerodrome. Handley Page ran London–Paris passenger services, landing at Hounslow Heath for customs clearance until 17 February 1920. The North Sea Aerial Navigation Company commenced a regular passenger service between Roundhay Park in Leeds and Hounslow Heath on 30 September 1919, later extending the route to Amsterdam. The British Aerial Transport Company started a Hendon–Hounslow–Amsterdam service on 7 October 1919, and Instone Air Line launched a Cardiff–Hounslow–Paris route on 13 October 1919.
The aerodrome also served as the departure point for another aviation milestone. On 12 November 1919, a Vickers Vimy aircraft registration G-EAOU piloted by Captain Ross Macpherson Smith with Lieutenant Keith Macpherson Smith and two mechanics left Hounslow Heath bound for Australia. The aircraft arrived in Darwin on 10 December 1919, winning a £10,000 prize for the first flight from England to Australia.
Closure and Legacy
The final commercial flights from Hounslow Heath departed on 27 March 1920. Aircraft Transport and Transport relocated its operations to the newly established Croydon Airport, which opened as London's approved airport the following day. The Army had repossessed the Hounslow Heath land for use as a repair depot and training school, and Croydon offered superior facilities as a purpose-built airport.
Today, Hounslow Heath exists as a 200-acre Local Nature Reserve, with the former aerodrome site largely returned to public open space. The history is commemorated by a plaque on Staines Road that reads: "London Terminal Aerodrome Hounslow Heath August 1919–1920. From here the first British international airline operation and the first flight from Europe to Australia was made." A second memorial was unveiled by the Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust on 10 April 2016, located immediately south of the car park beside Staines Road.