London Heathrow handled 23 million passengers between June and August as summer traffic remained strong at Europe’s busiest international hub. The airport also recorded 7.87 million passengers in August, down 2.1% year on year, while 2 August became its busiest ever day, with nearly 272,000 travellers moving through the terminals.
More than 40 incumbent and prospective airlines are seeking Heathrow slots, underscoring pressure on capacity at an airport where both runways are full. About three-quarters of the proposed new routes are long-haul, highlighting continued demand for scarce intercontinental access at the west London hub.
Operational performance stayed resilient during the peak season, with 98% of passengers waiting less than five minutes at security and 98% of bags departing as planned. The traffic figures support Heathrow’s argument that the airport is still attracting heavy summer demand even as slot availability tightens further.