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Heathrow Airport gears up for holiday season

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Posted: 17 November 2023 | | No comments yet

A busy October with nearly seven million passengers has helped to prepare Heathrow Airport for the peak season of festive travel ahead.

Heathrow Airport fast track

A busy October with nearly seven million passengers has helped to prepare London Heathrow Airport for the peak season of festive travel ahead, with the strong demand to fly from Heathrow propelling the UK’s hub airport to the fourth largest globally.

2.2 million passengers passed through Heathrow’s terminals during the October half-term, with Dubai, New York and Los Angeles proving popular this year. Team Heathrow colleagues provided great service, keeping the airport moving, despite weeks of heavy rain and two named storms.

After reopening its borders, Hong Kong became Heathrow’s 12th “millionaire route” for the year, surpassing one million passengers and following in the footsteps of Doha, JFK and Delhi among others.

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Sun-seekers looking to book a winter getaway have even more choice this year with 11 new airline routes just starting at Heathrow, including the UK’s only direct connection to Peru and more flights to ski destinations globally than any other UK airport, with the airport now serving 239 destinations in 89 countries.

Heathrow has begun preparations for the upcoming holiday peaks and will be launching a range of retail offerings in the coming weeks, including opportunities to win Christmas vouchers for retailers such as Watches for Switzerland, inMotion, Rituals and World Duty Free, alongside Heathrow Airport’s Christmas ad campaign which depicts festive travel stories highlighting the significance of travelling to see loved ones during the holidays.

Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye said:  

“I’ve learned a lot about Heathrow in my first few weeks, but one thing that really stands out to me is the passion and drive of colleagues to get people away smoothly on their journeys. We look forward to welcoming passengers from across the world over the upcoming festive season with a friendly face to lend a helping hand. If your journey sees you travelling through Heathrow we’ve got you covered, from attractive shops to meet your gifting needs to restaurants for all the family, we will ensure a seamless start to your holiday plans.” 

Traffic Summary 

Heathrow Airport

CREDIT: HEATHROW AIRPORT

Heathrow Airport

CREDIT: HEATHROW AIRPORT

Heathrow Airport

CREDIT: HEATHROW AIRPORT

 

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