Heathrow passenger numbers grow in April

Britain's busiest airport Heathrow saw a 4.8% year-on-year increase in passenger traffic during April, with 6.7m travellers passing through its gates.

Heathrow said April saw significant growth in passenger numbers on flights linking it with other parts of Britain, as well as those flying to and from Asia/Pacific and the Middle East. It also noted that 19 April marked Heathrow's busiest day for air traffic since October 2019, as a total of 1,337 flights either arrived or departed from its terminals.

Looking forward, Heathrow stated it was on track for a record-breaking year in terms of passenger numbers.

On another note, Heathrow accused Downing Street of hindering the UK's "global connectivity", with measures such as a £10 fee for transiting passengers without legal residence or a visa and a refusal to reintroduce tax-free shopping for international tourists drawing criticism.

Chief executive Thomas Woldbye said: "As we continue to grow, our focus is on making Heathrow fit for the future, delivering reliable journeys for all our customers today and getting ready for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow."

"But 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."

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com