Airport chiefs said it was examining a new case for expansion following the pandemic. “We are conducting an internal review of the work we have carried out and the different circumstances we find the aviation industry in, and this will enable us to progress with appropriate recommendations and ways forward,” it said.
It added it still had government support for plans for a third runway “and the related infrastructure required to support an expanded airport”.
In the last calendar year, Heathrow recorded its first profit since 2019, making £38 million before tax. The airport did this after being made to cut fees to airlines by 20% in line with a CAA judgment.
Passenger numbers reached 79.2 million, the third-highest in the airport’s history and an increase of 17.6 million on 2023. Revenue increased by almost 27% to £3.7 billion.
Aircraft were on average 79.6% full compared to 77% in the previous year due to the increase in the number of flights being slightly behind the increase in passengers. The percentage of business travellers rose one point to 27% but lags the 32% reached in 2019.
Heathrow plans to cater for a record 81.4 million passengers this year.
