The Middle East climbed 22% on the back of more A380s and new services like Tehran, while North America rose 10% on higher load factors
       
New York and Dubai were Heathrow’s most popular international destinations in April, with the routes welcoming nearly 500,000 travellers. Passengers also endorsed the added choice on Scottish routes, with Flybe’s new services to Aberdeen and Edinburgh boosting domestic volumes by 19,000 in April

       
British exports through Heathrow are growing – the volume of cargo flying from the airport was up an impressive 12% in April and grew 27% to Latin America and 19% to South Asia, growing at least twice as fast as volumes to Europe (+11%). North America remains Britain’s most important export market from Heathrow, recording healthy 14% growth in cargo in April
       
Communities across Britain are putting forward their ideas to host one of Heathrow’s four new logistics hubs. These hubs will play a vital role in making Heathrow’s expansion programme more affordable and environmentally sustainable, as well as creating jobs across the country as the airport looks to increase off-site construction
       
China’s economic powerhouse of Qingdao in Shandong – home of Confucius and Tsingtao beer – is set to be connected to Heathrow later this summer after Beijing Capital Airlines confirmed it would begin services to the city. The new route will provide nearly 4,000 tonnes of new cargo space for British exports to a fast-growing market in China

Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: "Heathrow had a bumper April – growth in 2017 has been faster than most expected. Britain’s exports outside the EU are thriving.”