Met Office signs seven-year agreement with London Heathrow

The UK Met Office has signed a new seven-year deal to provide on-site meteorologists and bespoke forecasts for the airfield at London Heathrow Airport, UK. It will be the first time in 15 years that an extended on-site Met Office team will oversee the airfield observations. These observations are crucial in ensuring that the very latest information about the prevailing weather conditions is at the center of the weather forecasts for Heathrow. This will ultimately ensure that key Heathrow stakeholders, such as air traffic control (ATC) and airlines, are kept fully informed of real-time weather at the airport. As well as routine local reports, the Met Office will also produce non-routine reports when significant weather changes occur between scheduled updates. Jonathan Dutton, head of aviation at the Met Office, said, “We are delighted to continue and expand our work with Heathrow Airport. We look forward to working in partnership with Heathrow and the wider airport community to bring developments in Met Office weather science and forecast advice to help Heathrow plan and optimize the operation in any weather event.” Craig Oxby, head of airport operations and resilience at Heathrow, said, “Heathrow has led the way in the UK, with on-site meteorologists providing dedicated forecasts. The Met Office has become a key part of our operation, giving us the latest weather information which enables us to keep one of the world’s busiest airports running smoothly. We look forward to continuing this essential partnership and delivering a safe and timely service for our passengers.”