How many planes take off from Heathrow every minute?

As of May 2014, over 1,400 flights departed and landed at Heathrow airport each day; that is about one flight every 45 seconds. Heathrow handles around 80 percent of the long-haul air traffic for passengers arriving in the UK.

Heathrow handles more than 70 million passengers each year, and it is the third busiest airport in the world. As well as handling normal air traffic through its five main terminals, Heathrow also houses a small sixth terminal that is reserved for royalty, heads of state and major celebrities. Each year, Heathrow processes approximately 53 million pieces of luggage, and there are over 30 miles of baggage conveyors in terminal 5 alone.