UK. London Heathrow Airport has said long-hail demand has shifted due to the Middle East conflict and the traffic outlook for the coming months remains uncertain.
The UK hub airport served 6.6 million passengers in March, a rise of +6.9% year-on-year. While Middle East traffic fell -51.1% due to the regional conflict, other markets showed strong growth, including Asia Pacific (+31.1% year-on-year), Africa (+23.3%) and EU and non-EU Europe (+11.6% and +11.5%, respectively).
First-quarter passenger numbers reached 18.9 million, up +3.7% year-on-year, with the Middle East down -12.7% but double-digit growth on Asia Pacific and Africa routes.
A statement said: “Heathrow is supporting airlines and passengers as they adapt to airspace closures across the Middle East, including a +10% spike in transfer passengers. While Heathrow has temporarily absorbed demand from elsewhere, its growth remains slower than EU competitors as runway slots are full.”
It added, “The knock-on impacts to global supply chains, including fuel, have not affected airport operations.”
Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye said: “We’re doing everything we can to support airlines and passengers as travel trends shift during the Middle East crisis. While Heathrow’s long-haul network absorbed demand in March, the outlook for the next few months remains uncertain. I’m proud of what colleagues have achieved to quickly adapt and continue giving passengers a great service during difficult times.” ✈
