Heathrow reports busiest January ever
Heathrow had a flying start to the year, as the airport welcomed 5.8 million passengers in January. Passenger volumes were up 1.1% on 2017 and January marked the 15th consecutive record month for Heathrow.
Domestic flights were a key driver of growth, with UK flights up 6.9% in the first month of 2018, following the increased uptake of Flybe’s offering. South Asia and Latin America also saw remarkable growth, up 11.3% and 6.9% respectively.
Freight travelling through Heathrow reached record levels for the start of the year, as over 133,000 tonnes made its way through the airport in January, with export volumes growing by 10.6%. The top destinations for cargo growth were the US (1,214t), Spain (1,070t) and China (966t).
As the Prime Minister set off for a trade mission to China in January, research carried out by New Frontier Economics revealed that direct flights from Heathrow to China contribute £510 million per year in GDP to the UK economy and create 14,550 jobs.
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: “Heathrow is off to a flying start, with record passenger numbers and cargo volumes."