Business and traffic commentary November 2017

07.00 11th November 2017

Heathrow sees exceptional double-digit trade growth with key emerging markets in November

§ Heathrow experienced an especially strong November, the 13th consecutive record-breaking month for the airport. The UK's hub airport welcomed 5.9 million passengers, with growth up 3.5% on last November

§ Latin America was the fastest growing market as new British Airways flights to Santiago in Chile and increased load factors on Aeromexico flights also pushed up growth 10%. Asia was close behind, growing 8% following the start of a daily morning 787 Dreamliner service by Japan Airlines and additional flights by Jet Airways to Mumbai and China Southern to Guangzhou

§ UK destinations continued to record healthy growth, up nearly 5% in November helped by Heathrow's £10 discount on domestic passenger charges

§ Cargo volumes through Heathrow grew a remarkable 12% in November, with more than 154,000 metric tonnes travelling through the UK's hub in the lead-up to Christmas. This was the 16th consecutive month of cargo growth at the UK's biggest port as trade with Asia, North America, Latin America and the Middle East all grew more than 10%

§ With recently upgraded cargo facilities, American Airlines continues to record some of the fastest growth in cargo at Heathrow as volumes increased an additional 21% in November and helped to make the United States the top country for cargo growth

§ Heathrow's noise footprint has shrunk to its smallest level since records started in 2006, as new independent analysis from the CAA revealed 52,000 fewer household are impacted by aircraft noise

§ Progress on Heathrow's expansion plans continues, as the newly formed Transport Select Committee began taking oral evidence on the Airports National Policy Statement