HEATHROW SETS NEW PASSENGER RECORD WITH OVER 268,000 TRAVELLERS IN A SINGLE DAY

Heathrow has smashed its own record, witnessing the highest number of passengers in a single day.

A total of 268,000 travellers passed through the airport's gates on June 30, marking a historic peak. Heathrow recorded over 260,000 daily passengers five times throughout June, with back-to-back days on June 23 and 24.

In total, June saw a surge to 7.4 million passengers, a 5.6% increase from last year's 7 million in the same month. Heathrow said it has more than 90,000 staff working at the airport – more than ever before – including a “baggage resilience team” and hundreds of “helpers” to assist passengers.

British Airways was hit by a technical snag on June 25 that threw its baggage system at Heathair into disarray. Consequently, many flyers were forced to board without their checked luggage, while others faced lengthy waits for their bags upon arrival.

Thomas Woldbye, Heathrow's chief executive, said: "June has seen more Heathrow records shattered including serving more passengers in a single day than ever before. I want to thank all my colleagues who went the extra mile to make sure the 268,000 passengers travelling on the busiest day had a smooth, stress-free journey. "We have started summer as we mean to go on."

Meanwhile, regulators have decided to reduce the fees Heathrow can charge airlines until the end of 2026. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced a reduction in the cap on fees, dropping from previously stated figures by £1.52 to £23.73 per passenger for next year and by £1.57 to £23.71 per passenger in 2026.

This decision was made following a determination by competition regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority, which considered appeals from the airport and airlines including British Airways, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic.

The CAA explained that the price reductions are due to changes in Heathrow's debt calculation, the cost of the airport's pension payments and business rates, and its recovery of revenues lost because of the coronavirus pandemic. These charges are typically paid by airlines but are usually passed on to passengers through air fares.

2024-07-11T09:17:26Z dg43tfdfdgfd