UK’s Heathrow forecasts passenger numbers to rise 0.6% this year

[LONDON] Britain’s Heathrow Airport said that it expects to have 85 million passengers this year, representing a growth of 0.6 per cent as it heads into a key year for its £33 billion (S$56.4 billion) bid to expand.

Heathrow was given the green light to build a new runway by Finance Minister Rachel Reeves in 2025, starting a years-long planning process, with lawmakers due to vote on the issue in 2026.

This year’s outlook compares to the 84.5 million passengers who used the airport in 2025, pushing up revenues to £3.6 billion on adjusted core earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda), which came in flat at £2 billion.

Located west of London, Heathrow is Europe’s busiest airport and operates at close to full capacity. Its two runways compare with four each in Paris’ Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt Airport, and six at Amsterdam’s Schiphol.

Flights from Heathrow’s new runway are targeted for 2035, with planning consent required by 2029. REUTERS