London Heathrow shook off the impact of a major cyber attack to set a new record for passenger traffic during September.
Several airlines operating from Heathrow suffered disruption last month following the targeting of check-in and boarding systems run by aviation technology firm Collins Aerospace.
Despite this incident, Heathrow catered for 7.4 million passengers in September, which was an increase of 0.8 per cent on the same month in 2024.
Traffic to Africa saw the largest year-on-year increase of 5.1 per cent, while passenger numbers to EU airports rose by 2.5 per cent in September. But there was a fall of 0.6 per cent in North American traffic and passenger numbers to Latin American destinations declined by 3.8 per cent.
Heathrow’s CEO Thomas Woldbye said: “Operating Europe’s largest airport doesn’t come without its challenges, but I’m proud that our team delivered under pressure - welcoming nearly 7.4 million passengers in September alone while maintaining strong performance in punctuality and security.
“It’s a clear sign that Heathrow is vital to the UK’s economic growth and why we will continue to invest in our airport - opening up even more opportunities for passengers, airlines, and the country.”
Earlier this year, the current UK government backed plans to add a third runway at Heathrow but the controversial project still faces significant hurdles before it gets the green light to go ahead.