Heathrow reports drop in August passenger traffic amid sector challenges

In August, Heathrow processed 7.87 million passengers across its four terminals, a fall compared with the previous year’s figures. The airport celebrated a record-busy day on August 2, when almost 272,000 people passed through. Heathrow emphasized that 98% of travelers experienced security queues shorter than five minutes and that the same proportion saw their luggage depart on time, allowing it to retain the title of Europe’s most punctual hub.

The passenger dip comes after Istanbul surpassed Heathrow as the continent’s busiest airport in July. Recent technical problems at one outlet Air Traffic Services caused widespread flight cancellations, prompting calls for the NATS chief to step down and remarks from Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander that the issue was not unavoidable.