Heathrow Airport now expects to handle 82.4m passengers this year, up from its previous forecast of 81.4m.
The airport saw record passenger numbers in the first quarter of the year, with 18.5 m travelers passing through, a 9.5pc increase from the same period in 2023.
Growth at Heathrow was driven in part by key business routes like Delhi and Mumbai, as well as strong North American traffic and a 40pc increase in demand from East Asia.
Heathrow handled 79.2m passengers last year and is set to surpass its previous pre-pandemic record of 80.9 m in 2024. The airport is implementing new security measures and beginning a project to build a new baggage system at Terminal 2, as well as resurfacing runways without impacting operations. Heathrow’s CFO highlighted a successful start to the year and readiness for the busiest summer yet.
Heathrow’s CFO Javier Echave said: “it has been a successful start to the year thanks to colleagues delivering a consistent, reliable service to our passengers. As I close the chapter on eight years as CFO, I’m proud that Heathrow is on a strong financial footing with a clear flightpath ahead. On the horizon is Heathrow’s busiest summer yet with more passengers and destinations served than ever before. We’re ready to continue delivering.”
