Heathrow: London airport lands Coronation boost with 6.4m flyers – and 90 per cent get through security in 10 mins
Heathrow Airport reported 6.4 million passengers over April, a month which included travellers flocking to the UK for King Charles’ coronation, as well as continued strike action.
The West London hub said that there were indications passenger growth may be levelling off after the post-pandemic rebound, with recovery now stable at between 93-95 per cent over the first quarter.
More importantly, 90 per cent of passengers were through security in less than 10 minutes
Heathrow saw a 25.9 per cent increase on the previous April, with the total period between January and April seeing a rise of 40.2 per cent.
The numbers come at a busy time for the airport, with a series of strikes launched by the Unite union over the Easter period affecting services as security guards walked out.
Union members have also planned industrial action over the pay dispute on 6, 9 and 10 May, with further action expected on the 25
Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye said: “It is only 12 months since all international travel restrictions in the UK were lifted, and we have made tremendous progress. I am proud that colleagues across Heathrow have shown Britain at its best for visitors arriving for the Coronation.”
The airport said that the introduction of Loganair flights to the City of Derry and Dundee to Sumburgh and Kirkwall, as well as a discount on landing charges for domestic routes, saw a 50 per cent in UK destinations served.
The recovery of the East Asia market is also expected to hit passenger numbers next month, with departures to seven Chinese cities beginning by the end of May.