Heathrow records busiest February after ‘bumper half-term’

Heathrow said it recorded its busiest February, with 5.8 million passengers travelling through its four terminals last month.

The figure was 110,000 more than the same month last year, with the west London airport attributing it to a “bumper half-term combined with Chinese New Year travel”.

Heathrow said the 1.9% increase was driven by airlines operating larger and fuller aircraft.

It warned that its two runways are “full” and expressed concern its growth is “trailing the European average” of 4.6%, saying it has lost its position as the continent’s busiest airport to Istanbul.

Heathrow said its plan to build a third runway will “ensure the country gets the infrastructure it needs to stay competitive”.

It added that it is working with airlines and other airports to “facilitate additional flight requests” amid the conflict in the Middle East.

Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye said: “Every day during February, Heathrow continued to provide excellent service whilst 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 operational environment.”