Heathrow passenger numbers exceed 2019 levels in September

Heathrow said on Wednesday that passenger numbers exceeded 2019 levels in September for the first time since February 2020.

Passenger numbers were up 22% on the same period a year earlier to just over 7 million.

The airport also said that chief executive John Holland-Kaye will be stepping down after nearly a decade in the role, and handing over to Thomas Woldbye on 18 October.

The company said: "When the Covid-19 crisis shut down global aviation, John protected frontline jobs at Heathrow, kept Britain’s biggest port open for vital supplies and coordinated industry efforts to safely reopen borders.

"Over the last 18 months, he has successfully led Heathrow to recover faster than all of its major EU competitors."