Heathrow provided a “smooth and efficient” service as passenger numbers hit the highest level in three years over the festive period despite a strike by Border Force officers.
Christmas and new year reunions fuelled growth in December, with more than 5.9 million passengers travelling in the month – up 90% compared with the same time last year.
Transatlantic travel was a key driver behind last month’s high passenger volumes, with New York JFK the London airport’s busiest route.
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Heathrow said: “Forward planning and close collaboration with airport partners ensured we provided a smooth and efficient service to travellers throughout the festive period.”
The London hub reported that 92% of passengers passed through security in under 10 minutes during the Christmas peak.
“Arriving travellers reported a friendly and efficient journey through immigration in spite of industrial action,” it added, while service for passengers with reduced mobility improved.
The December figure saw Heathrow handle 61.6 million passengers last year or 76% of pre-pandemic 2019 levels and 42.2 million higher than in 2021 – claimed to be the highest passenger increase of any airport in Europe.
The airport joined aviation industry criticism of testing on inbound travellers from China.
“We are concerned that the recovery of the aviation sector, which is critical to the economy, could be set back by the reintroduction of testing for travellers in the UK and elsewhere in response to increasing Covid levels in China, even though governments acknowledge there is no scientific basis for doing so,” Heathrow said.
The airport added: “Providing excellent service remains our key priority for 2023, as the aviation industry rebuilds capacity and resilience.”
Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: “2022 ended on a high with our busiest Christmas in three years and a smooth and efficient service for passengers, thanks to the hard work of our colleagues and close planning with airlines, their ground handlers and Border Force.”
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