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Gatwick Airport (IATA Airport Code: LGW, ICAO Airport Code: EGKK) is London's second airport and the second largest airport in the UK after Heathrow airport. It is located approximately 25 miles (40 km) south of London, and an equal distance north of Brighton.
It is the busiest single-runway airport in the world, handling over 31 million passengers annually, flying to around 200 destinations. Charter airlines are generally not allowed to operate from Heathrow and many use Gatwick instead as their base.
Recent proposals to build a second runway at Gatwick have led to strenuous protests because of the increased noise and pollution that this would entail, not to mention the demolition of dozens of houses. In addition an agreement with the local council has promised not to build a second runway until at least 2019.
The airport has two terminals, North and South, which are connected by an automatic monorail. In addition, the South Terminal has a small satellite terminal, also reached via monorail.
The South Terminal is located directly above the Gatwick Airport railway station, which provides fast and frequent connections to London's Victoria station and London Bridge station as well as Brighton to the south.
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