Heathrow Airport has marked yet another milestone in its illustrious history, as March saw nearly seven million passengers pass through its gates, cementing its position as one of the busiest airports in the world. This achievement follows closely on the heels of February’s record-breaking performance, making it the second consecutive month of unprecedented passenger traffic for the airport in 2024.
The bustling bank holiday weekend saw a staggering 936,000 passengers traversing through Heathrow, making it the busiest Easter weekend on record. Notably, Good Friday emerged as the peak day for departures, with 118,000 travelers embarking on their journeys from Heathrow’s terminals.
Amidst this surge in passenger numbers, Heathrow has maintained a commendable level of customer satisfaction, with over 94% of passengers rating their overall experience as ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’. As the airport gears up for the summer season, a relentless focus on enhancing operational efficiency remains paramount. Ongoing initiatives, such as the £1 billion upgrade to security scanners and investments in baggage systems at Terminal 2, aim to streamline passenger processes and fortify the airport’s infrastructure.
However, amidst the celebrations of success, concerns loom over the potential impact of the government’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme on Heathrow’s competitiveness. Under this scheme, all global visitors without legal residence in the UK are required to pay a £10 fee to enter or transit through the country. While the airport acknowledges the rationale behind ETAs, it warns that applying them to airside transit passengers could disadvantage UK airports in comparison to their EU counterparts.
The repercussions of ETAs are already being felt, with a noticeable decline in transit passengers from Qatar since the scheme’s introduction. Over the first four months of its implementation, Heathrow recorded 19,000 fewer transit passengers from Qatar, marking a decade-low in transfer proportions. This trend raises concerns about the potential loss of connectivity and economic impact on vital long-haul routes, which heavily rely on transit passengers.
With more connecting passengers expected to choose other hubs as the scheme expands, the airport is urging Minsters to take action to remove this measure.
