London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) has posted its busiest start to the year on record with 18.5 million passengers traveling through the aviation hub between January and March 2024.
According to Heathrow Airport, the positive performance, during what is traditionally a quieter period of the year, was in part driven by growth on key business routes like Delhi and Mumbai and strong North American traffic.
The airport also witnessed a surge in demand for services to East Asia with a 40% increase in numbers compared with the first quarter in 2023.
Heathrow also said that it expects summer 2024 to be its busiest on record and has a “robust operating plan in place to keep the airport running smoothly, even if unnecessary industrial action materializes”.
Considering the strong performance so far this year the airport has increased its 2024 passenger outlook to 82.4 million.
“It has been a successful start to the year thanks to colleagues delivering a consistent, reliable service to our passengers. As I close the chapter on eight years as CFO, I’m proud that Heathrow is on a strong financial footing with a clear flightpath ahead. On the horizon is Heathrow’s busiest summer yet with more passengers and destinations served than ever before. We’re ready to continue delivering,” Heathrow CFO Javier Echave said.
Heathrow also announced it made an £83 million ($103M) pre-tax profit in the first quarter compared with a £139 million ($173M) loss during the same period in 2023.
Heathrow is bracing itself for strike action at the airport throughout May 2023 with employees from a range of job areas taking part.