Business and traffic commentary May 2018

07.00 11th June 2018

Heathrow expansion set for take-off within weeks as Royal Wedding pushes Heathrow to record May

§ May's Royal Wedding led to a surge in passengers in May, just as the Government announced plans to hold a vote in Parliament within weeks on expanding the UK's hub

§ 6.7 million passengers travelled through Heathrow in May (+3.1%) as wedding watchers from the US travelling to nearby Windsor pushed up passenger numbers 5% on North American flights

§ As Parliament prepares to vote on expanding Heathrow, support for the project remains overwhelming - the latest polling shows 75% of MPs back expansion at Heathrow, alongside a united chorus of support from Britain's major business groups and trade unions and more local people who support than oppose

§ Domestic flights also saw an uplift, boosted 5.5% as more passengers filled flights to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Leeds

§ Over 144,000 metric tonnes of cargo passed through Heathrow in May, the 22nd consecutive month of record growth at the UK's largest port by value for non-EU trade

§ Long-haul markets were the fastest growing markets for cargo, with Japan (28%) and Brazil (33%) taking the top spots

§ Scandinavian Airlines and LOT Polish Airlines were the best performers in the latest 'Fly Quiet and Green' results, with the latter moving from the lowest spot on the league to second place

§ Heathrow welcomed the arrival of new direct services to the cities of Wuhan and Sanya, operated by China Southern. The airport's connection to Sanya is a first for Europe. The routes will allow for 6,000 metric tonnes of additional cargo capacity and over 110,000 new seats for passengers annually

Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said:

"We have a robust plan to expand Britain's hub airport, unlocking billions in growth and creating tens of thousands of new skilled jobs - from Plymouth to Perth and Swansea to Southend. With strong cross-party support and a united voice from business and unions - MPs must finally seize the opportunity to expand Heathrow and secure a prosperous future for all of Britain."