Heathrow passenger numbers surge to pandemic-era high in March
Passenger numbers at Heathrow Airport hit their highest level since the beginning of the pandemic last month thanks to an increase in international leisure travel and the stripping of all Covid-19 restrictions across the UK.
Passenger numbers surged to 4.2m in March, a more than seven-fold year-on-year jump.
"It is fantastic to see the airport coming back to life after two years," said Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye.
However, Heathrow said on Monday that it was unable to determine whether or not the current surge in leisure demand was sustainable, given concerns over potential new coronavirus variants, heightened fuel prices, sluggish economic growth, and the impact of Russia's evasion of Ukraine.
Heathrow also noted that both inbound leisure and business travel had remained weak throughout March due to high levels of Covid-19 in the UK and the ongoing need for testing for travellers when leaving the country.
Airports all across the UK have struggled to recruit sufficient staff to meet demand as of late, with Heathrow stating it will increase resources "as fast as possible", as 12,000 new starters prepared for work across the airport.