Easter holidays and rise in emerging market routes boosts Heathrow airport

Heathrow airport saw passenger numbers rise over the recent Easter getaway period. 6.14 million passengers travelled through the UK’s only hub at Heathrow in April. This is a 1.2 per cent rise over March and April from the same time last year, including the early Easter break. There was also a boost in transfer passengers using the airport, which is critical to making long haul routes viable.  Within emerging markets, passenger volumes were particularly strong to Mexico which was up 13.1%, China up 16.0% and the Middle East & Central Asia up 3.1%. North American segments continued to see growth with volumes increasing 1.5% While overall British exports remain sluggish, cargo volumes at Heathrow the UK’s biggest port by value recorded growth of 2.2% overall, including increases of 61.5% to Mexico, 27.5% to Turkey, 18.5% to Brazil and 9.9% to India. Heathrow chief executive, John Holland-Kaye, said: “Expanding Heathrow delivers exactly what the UK economy needs – creating up to 180,000 new jobs and £211 billion of economic benefit right across the country, growing exports by increasing trade routes to fast-growing markets, rebalancing growth across the whole of the UK. Heathrow expansion isn’t about a runway, it’s about the future we want for Britain. Let’s be ambitious about our place in the world, let’s keep Britain at the heart of the global economy and let’s get on with expanding Heathrow.”