Heathrow has busiest ever November
Passenger growth at Heathrow continued to be driven by larger, fuller, quieter aircraft, with passengers per aircraft rising 2.6% to 145.7. Seats per aircraft increased 1.0% to 204.3, while load factors increased 1.1 percentage points to 71.3%, as volumes continued growth within emerging markets, increasing 12.7% to China, 6.9% to Latin America and 4.2% to Middle East & Central Asia.
Heathrow continued to welcome the transfer passengers that make such long-haul routes viable, with year-on-year volumes increasing 3.9%.
To meet growing passenger and cargo demand, Aeromexico recently announced the deployment of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners and an increase to five weekly frequencies on its Mexico City-London route from next spring.
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: “Aeromexico’s growth to five weekly services is a boon for British businesses who will benefit from the increased convenience of 12 weekly departures to Mexico City and the choice between two global carriers in competing alliances that a strong hub at Heathrow generates.
"While Gatwick’s flights to Cancun are great for a holiday in the sun, they don’t support the economic activity that creates jobs in the UK. Only Heathrow attracts the long haul flights that connect Britain to fast growing global commercial centres like Mexico City – enabling £14.3 million worth of British exports to Mexico already this year. If Britain wants the growth driven by direct long haul flights to emerging markets, it needs a successful hub airport.”
Cargo at Heathrow was up 2.3% overall, increasing 41.3% to Mexico, 37.6% to Brazil, 20.0% to India and 13.3% to Turkey.
