Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Aerospace
  • /
  • Heathrow reports outstanding end to the decade

Aerospace

Heathrow reports outstanding end to the decade

Since 2010, Heathrow has welcomed an additional 15 million passengers - an increase of 18% over the course of the decade.


Courtesy Heathrow

This passenger growth was facilitated by £12 billion worth of private investment which culminated in the opening of Terminal 2 which is now ranked by passengers as one of the best airport terminals in the world.

In the 2010s, Heathrow served as Britain’s front door for a number of nationally significant moments, such as the arrival of the world’s top athletes and many excited fans ahead of the London 2012 Olympics. The airport also celebrated a landmark anniversary, with 31st May 2016 marking 70 years since Heathrow officially became a commercial airport for civilian use. 

Advertisement
Teledyne

Heathrow transformed passengers’ experience with the opening of the new Terminal 2, the Queen’s Terminal, in 2014. The terminal is environmentally friendly, powered entirely by renewable energy and is a testament to Heathrow’s ability to deliver large infrastructure projects on time and on budget. The last decade saw Heathrow deliver on its promise of being a great place to live and work, with the airport leading the way on the London Living Wage accreditation and supporting many young apprentices from the local area in their training and career development. The decade concluded with Parliament making a landmark decision that would transform the airport’s future, as MPs overwhelmingly voted in favour of expansion.

Over the past 10 years the groundwork was laid for the airport’s environmental goals, with the unveiling of Heathrow 2.0, its sustainability strategy in 2017 and £100 million of investment which funded the airport’s pledge to ‘Go Electric’ with the EU’s biggest electric fleet, the peatland restoration carbon offsetting project and the centre of excellence for sustainability. Our Fly Quiet and Green league tables revealed that more airlines are operating ultra-quiet and green 787s and A350s, partly in response to environmental pricing incentives.

Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: “The past decade has been transformational for Heathrow and the investments that we’ve made in our infrastructure, our people and our processes are paying off for passengers.

"Regular, direct flights to all the major cities in the US, India and China – the great economies of the 21st Century – will put all of Britain at the heart of global trade and we look forward to delivering this economic growth in a way that aligns with the Committee on Climate Change’s net zero 2050 target.”

Full year 2019
A record 80.9 million passengers travelled through the airport in 2019, delivering the ninth consecutive year of growth for the airport. This passenger growth was driven by larger and fuller aircraft. Plus a total of 1.6 million metric tonnes of cargo travelled through the UK’s largest port by value, as Heathrow played its part connecting goods to markets further afield.

Heathrow Terminal 5 was voted the ‘World’s Best Terminal’ at the 2019 Skytrax World Airport Awards for the sixth time in the terminal’s 11-year history. Terminal 2 followed closely behind as fourth-best globally. Overall, Heathrow maintained its position as one of the top 10 airports in the world.

Advertisement
ODU RT

In June, the airport unveiled its preferred masterplan for expansion. The plan sets out how the expanded airport will be operated and provided local residents with information on new measures to reduce congestion and emissions as well as a ban on scheduled night flights.

Heathrow announced tough new measures to protect local air quality and reduce congestion in preparation for expansion. The airport will be launching a new Ultra-Low Emission Zone targeting older, more polluting passenger cars and private hire vehicles from 2022, before a wider Vehicle Access Charge (VAC) is introduced for all passenger cars, taxis and private hire vehicles when the new runway opens.​​​

Full month of December
Christmas and New Year reunions fuelled passenger growth in December. More than 6.7 million passengers travelled through Heathrow during the festive season, making it the airport’s busiest December ever, up 3.1% compared to the same time last year. This was also the strongest monthly increase recorded for 2019.

UK services saw the biggest surge in December (+10.6%) as many took advantage of Flybe’s routes to Newquay and Guernsey during the holiday rush. British Airways also increased the frequency and aircraft size of their Scottish flights, allowing even more passengers to take part in Hogmanay celebrations.

The Middle East saw growth of 7.3%, followed by the US (+7.1%).

Over 126,000 metric tonnes of cargo travelled through Heathrow in October, with the UK reporting noteworthy growth, up 25.3%.

Advertisement
Babcock LB
Flights increase as summer hots up

Aerospace

Flights increase as summer hots up

18 July 2025

UK air traffic in June increased by 2.5% on the same month last year as NATS, the UK’s major provider of air traffic services, safely handled 237,215 flights, up more than 2,600 on May.

ZeroAvia granted patents for hydrogen-electric engine development

Aerospace

ZeroAvia granted patents for hydrogen-electric engine development

17 July 2025

ZeroAvia today announced it has been awarded nine new patents this year so far, with many critical to the company’s roadmap for scaling hydrogen-electric engines for large regional aircraft.

BBGA co-hosts Isle of Man Aviation Conference

Aerospace

BBGA co-hosts Isle of Man Aviation Conference

17 July 2025

For the first time, the British Business General Aviation Association (BBGA) joined Martyn Fiddler as joint hosts of the 13th Isle of Man Aviation Conference, bringing together 120 business aviation delegates at Douglas’ Villa Marina venue.

Flying to become more accessible for disabled people

Aerospace

Flying to become more accessible for disabled people

16 July 2025

An industry and consumer expert group, tasked by the UK Government to advise on how to make flying more accessible for disabled people, has unveiled its suite of recommendations today.

Advertisement
ODU RT
Doncasters expands Groton site with new shell line

Aerospace

Doncasters expands Groton site with new shell line

15 July 2025

Doncasters today announced the successful commissioning of a brand-new, fully automated shell line, at its Groton facility in the US - a major milestone within its 2025 Performance Improvement Plan and a key advancement in the company’s long-term manufacturing strategy.

ZeroAvia and Horizon Aircraft to explore hydrogen eVTOL propulsion

Aerospace

ZeroAvia and Horizon Aircraft to explore hydrogen eVTOL propulsion

15 July 2025

ZeroAvia and Horizon Aircraft today announced plans to work together on developing regional hydrogen-electric VTOL air travel.

Advertisement
ODU RT