Met Office secures new five-year Heathrow Airport weather support contract

The Met Office has a renewed its contract with Heathrow Airport, continuing a partnership of 15 years to provide specialist on-site meteorological services at the UK’s busiest airport.

The renewed agreement will see the Met Office continue to provide dedicated meteorological expertise based at Heathrow, delivering specialist forecasts and operational weather support to help the airport prepare for and respond to challenging weather conditions, including fog, snow, strong winds, heavy rainfall, and high temperatures.

The five-year contract combines commercial forecasting services with the Met Office’s existing regulated aviation weather services, provided on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which support the safety of air transport across the UK aviation sector.

As part of the agreement, the Met Office will continue to provide meteorological observing services at Heathrow and at observation sites surrounding the airport, to support fog and low visibility forecasting.

How climate data informs longer-term planning and future resilience

In addition, the Met Office Aeronautical Visualisation Service (MAVIS) will be used alongside the operational meteorologist support to provide wider access to a range of regulated aviation forecast tools for all team members at the airport.

As well as supporting day-to-day airport operations, Met Office climate data and expertise will continue to inform longer-term planning and future resilience considerations.

Steve Calder, Met Office Chief Customer Officer and Director of Government and Industry Relationships, said: “Weather is more than a forecast for an airport like Heathrow. It is a critical input to operational decision-making. By working side-by-side with Heathrow’s teams, our meteorologists provide the insight and foresight needed to anticipate weather impacts, minimise disruption and maintain safe, efficient operations.

“This agreement continues a partnership built on turning world-leading weather science into operational confidence, helping keep millions of journeys moving every month.”

Why accurate weather forecasting is essential for aviation safety and efficiency

The Heathrow Met Office team provides onsite, tailored meteorological advice into the heart of the Heathrow Airport Operations Centre. A team of embedded meteorologists provides advice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to the key operations managers for Heathrow Airport, including airside, landside, air traffic and airlines.

Lauren Donohue, Aviation Business Manager at the Met Office, said: “We’re thrilled to continue our work with Heathrow and look forward to supporting the airport to be prepared, whatever the weather brings.”

The Met Office’s services to the aviation sector, support airports, airlines, air traffic management organisations and regulators across the UK. These services help aviation partners manage the impacts of weather, improve operational efficiency and support safe air travel.

Trevor Waldock, Head of Airside Operations, said: “The Met Office has been a trusted Heathrow partner for 15 years, playing a critical role in keeping the UK’s only hub airport operating safely. Their teams are on hand 365 days a year, providing specialist forecasting that enables our teams to plan with confidence and ensures passengers and cargo are kept on the move. We’re pleased to renew this long-standing partnership and continue working together to support efficient and resilient operations at Heathrow.”