UK. London Heathrow Airport served 5.8 million passengers last month, recording its busiest February yet and a +1.9% increase year-on-year, according to the airport’s latest traffic figures.
The UK’s largest gateway attributed the boost to the half-term holiday period and travel linked to Chinese New Year celebrations.
Airlines responded to strong demand by operating larger and fuller aircrafts, helping lift passenger numbers by 110,000 compared with February last year.
However, Heathrow noted that growth is trailing the European average of 4.6% as the airport continues to operate close to capacity.
Operational performance remained consistent throughout the month. Heathrow noted that 98% of passengers cleared security in under five minutes, highlighting its reliability in terms of punctuality and service performance.
Heathrow Airport CEO Thomas Woldbye said, “Every day during February, Heathrow continued to provide excellent service while passenger numbers climbed to new heights.
“Our passengers are at the heart of everything we do, and we’re focused on supporting those affected by the unfolding events in the Middle East. We continue to monitor the situation closely and stand ready to minimise the operational impact and assist our airline partners as they navigate this challenging environment.” ✈
