Heathrow passenger numbers fall due to coronavirus impact
Passenger numbers at Heathrow Airport have fallen to 5.4 million, down -4.8% on last year after adjusting for the extra leap day, due to lower demand on Asian and European routes following the coronavirus outbreak.
Above:
Heathrow Airport Terminal 5.
Courtesy Heathrow Airport
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye, said: “The threat of Coronavirus is an increasing challenge for the UK and we are working day and night to ensure Britain’s front door is open and safe for our people and passengers. We will continue to work with the Government to limit the impacts this will have on UK plc.”
Demand has continued to weaken going into March and Heathrow expects a further year-on-year decrease in coming weeks.
Regular deep cleaning have been introduced across all terminals as well as increased availability and provision of hand sanitisers.
A dedicated Public Health England (PHE) team remains in place at the airport, implementing clinically-informed, evidence-driven processes to support passengers showing symptoms of the virus. Current processes include an early warning system allowing airline crew to report any illness on board flights ahead of landing.
In February, the airport saw over 115,800 metric tonnes of cargo pass through its doors, down 9.5%, as the effect of coronavirus was felt on global trade.