Heathrow Airport has experienced its most bustling day in over four and a half years, contributing to a steady rise in passenger numbers throughout April, recent data reveals.
As the largest airport in the UK, Heathrow confirmed a total of 6.7 million passengers for the month, bringing the year-to-date figure to 25.2 million. Notably, Friday, April 19, marked the airport’s busiest day since October 2019, with a staggering 1,337 flights recorded.
With an average of 224,000 passengers per day, Heathrow’s positive trajectory is evident. However, amidst these achievements, the airport has raised concerns about the impact of current Government policies on the nation’s global connectivity.
Heathrow highlighted initiatives such as the introduction of “unnecessary visas for transiting passengers” and the absence of tax-free shopping, along with the proposed hike in business rates, as factors hindering the aviation sector’s competitiveness.
Thomas Woldbye, Chief Executive of Heathrow Airport, lauded the collaborative efforts of the airport’s team in achieving these milestones. However, he stressed the importance of Government support in unlocking the airport’s full potential to bolster the country’s economy.
Woldbye remarked, “To unlock our full potential to help grow the country’s economy, we need the Government to implement policies that support UK aviation’s ability to compete globally, and thus make the UK more competitive overall.”