Weather and strikes hit Heathrow traffic in June

By Doug Newhouse |

Heathrow AirportMore than 6.6m passengers used Heathrow Airport in June 2016, however this number was -1.0% down on June 2015, due to poor weather conditions, plus prolonged French industrial action which caused multiple cancellations.

 

As reported before, Heathrow Airport is now operating at full capacity making traffic growth difficult, although the airport continued to make marginal progress thanks to larger, quieter aircraft using the same slots that their smaller contemporaries used last year.

 

As a result, passenger numbers were actually up by 0.6% to 35.7m during the first five months of 2016 as more airlines have introduced new A380s and a record number of Dreamliners at Heathrow.

 

Heathrow Airport

Heathrow Airport traffic June 2106

Source: Heathrow Airport.

 

EMERGING MARKET TRAFFIC ‘STRONG’

Meanwhile, emerging market passenger volumes remained strong to Latin America (+3%) and East Asia (+2%), following Avianca’s increase in frequencies to a daily flight and more A380s on services to Singapore, Thailand and Korea. Heathrow management adds that China and Mexico ‘were particular bright spots, with passenger growth jumping 7%’.

 

In addition, cargo volumes at Heathrow also grew by 2.1% in June, with strong growth to China, which was up 11%, India up 3.3% and Turkey up 3%.

 

Following the Brexit vote to leave the European Union, Heathrow Airport management claims that support for the construction of a third runway at Heathrow has never been higher.

 

John Holland-Kaye CEO Heathrow

Heathrow Airport CEO, John Holland-Kaye.

MAKING THE CASE FOR EXPANSION…

As such, Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: “With cargo volumes at Heathrow growing, our next Prime Minister has a real opportunity to secure Britain’s legacy as an outward-looking trading nation. Now more than ever, a decision on Heathrow expansion must be at the top of her in-tray.

 

“We’ll double cargo capacity at the UK’s largest port, helping even more British exporters trade with all the growing markets of the world. And at a time of uncertainty, a £16bn privately funded infrastructure investment will create jobs and growth across the UK.

 

“And with Parliament overwhelmingly endorsing a third runway, our next Prime Minister can send the strongest possible signal that Brexit Britain is open for business and confident in its future by expanding Heathrow.”

 

 

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