BAA report busiest April on record
Just a few short months ago London Heathrow Airport was in disarray, with thousands of passengers camped out on terminal floors amid some of the worst snow disruption ever seen at a UK airport.
But, with the arrival of spring, fortunes at the airport have been reversed, with the BAA operated property handling 5.8 million passengers in April – the highest figure ever recorded.
Edinburgh Airport also offered further cheer to BAA stakeholders, accommodation 776,000 passengers during its busiest ever April.
Heathrow also saw its highest ever April cargo tonnage (122,000).
The vast majority of freight shipped through Heathrow is carried in the holds of passenger planes – making the UK’s only hub airport its largest freight port by value.
In total BAA airports saw 9.1 million passengers during April – a significant increase on 2010 figures.
However, the underlying trend is obscured by the severe disruption in air travel in April 2010 caused by the volcanic ash cloud, by the Easter holidays falling entirely in April this year and by the extra bank holiday for the Royal Wedding.
Colin Matthews, chief executive of BAA, said: “I am delighted that more passengers departed on time from Heathrow than ever before.
“These figures reflect the results of our £1 billion annual investment and the commitment of 77,000 staff from 320 companies who work at the airport to improve the experience of our passengers.”