Passenger numbers at Heathrow reached record levels with AeroTime’s busiest start to the year ever

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London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) has recorded 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 time of year, was partly due to growth on key business routes such as 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 compared to the first quarter of 2023.

Heathrow also said it expects the summer of 2024 to be its busiest on record and that it has a “robust operational plan in place to keep the airport running smoothly even if unnecessary industrial action takes place”.

Given the strong performance so far this year, the airport has increased its passenger forecast for 2024 to 82.4 million.

“It was a successful start to the year thanks to colleagues who provided consistent, reliable service to our passengers. As I close the chapter on eight years as CFO, I am proud that Heathrow has a strong financial foundation and a clear path forward. On the horizon is Heathrow’s busiest summer yet, with more passengers and destinations than ever before. We are ready to continue delivering,” said Javier Echave, Heathrow CFO.

Heathrow also announced that it posted a pre-tax profit of £83 million ($103 million) in the first quarter, compared with a loss of £139 million ($173 million) in the same period in 2023.

Heathrow is bracing for strike action at the airport in May 2023, with workers from several work areas taking part.