Heathrow hits record passenger numbers in first half of year

Heathrow Airport said a record 39.8 million passengers travelled through its terminals in the first half of the year.

That is up 7.3% from 37.1 million passengers during the same period last year.

In the first half of 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic, the total was 38.8 million.

We are working hard to deliver economic benefits for all of the UK

Despite a fall in half-year revenues of 2.9%, Heathrow swung to an underlying profit of £178 million, from a £139 million loss a year earlier.

Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye said: “Serving record-breaking passenger numbers while continuing to deliver excellent customer service is no easy feat and is testament to the dedication of my hardworking colleagues.

“In addition to the nearly 40 million passengers that flew through Heathrow during the first six months, so did 765 tonnes of cargo, supporting world leading British industries to access global export markets.

“We are working hard to deliver economic benefits for all of the UK, but this needs to be supported by joined up policy making that prioritises global competitiveness and sustainable growth.

“We are encouraged by the new Government’s recognition of Heathrow’s role in powering growth across the country, and look forward to working with ministers to ensure we are firing on all cylinders and retain our global standing.”

Mr Woldbye attributed the decline in the airport’s revenues to the Civil Aviation Authority’s decision to reduce the cap on how much it has been able to charge airlines per passenger since the start of the year.

He told the PA news agency: “I don’t think the settlement was the right one to be honest, I don’t think that’s a secret.

In the longer term we're looking at what is the most viable way forward and that does include the third runway

“We need to think about our ability to invest in the future for a better passenger journey and also to be more efficient for our airlines.

“For that we need robust cash flows, and that is our concern.

“We have also just been through four years of Covid effects with quite substantial losses that we have not made up on at all.”

Mr Woldbye said Heathrow is “reviewing” its project to build a third runway, which secured parliamentary approval in June 2018 but has been delayed by legal challenges over the environmental impact, and the coronavirus pandemic.

He said: “In terms of capacity and expansion at Heathrow we’re looking at two strings really.

“What can we do within the two runways that we have in order to improve our capacity, which I think we can, and which is quite urgent and can be done in the short-term?

“In the longer term we’re looking at what is the most viable way forward and that does include the third runway.”