6.5m passengers mark busiest January ever for Heathrow

Heathrow recorded 6.5 million passengers last month, marking its busiest January on record even as growth begins to lag behind European rivals.

The 2% increase on last year’s figures saw multiple peak days where over 250,000 travelers passed through the terminals. This surge coincided with the first full month of the airport’s new security lanes being operational across all terminals.

Despite the high volume, Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye warned that the airport is now ‘full’. New figures from the ACI show that while the local hub remains the largest in Europe, its growth rate is now trailing the European average.
Woldbye is using the data to put fresh pressure on the government and the CAA to make ‘critical decisions’ regarding the controversial expansion of the airport this year. He claims that without a new runway, the UK will lose its position as Europe’s primary aviation hub by 2026.

“We remain Europe’s largest airport, but latest figures show we may lose that position in 2026 and we cannot keep driving growth for the UK economy without more capacity,’’ Woldbye said. “That’s why Heathrow expansion is so critical. “The decisions ministers and the CAA take this year are essential to enable the delivery of the UK's flagship growth project, secure planning permission by 2029, and ensure the UK has the flight and cargo capacity that it deserves.’’
The CEO’s plea comes a year after the government confirmed its support for a third runway, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves stating it could create 100,000 jobs. However, anti-expansion campaigners have accused the government of ignoring its climate commitments. Just last week, Richmond Council warned that the environmental and social costs of a third runway would be ‘devastating’ for local residents.