Heathrow preparing for busiest Christmas

Heathrow airport said it is preparing for its busiest Christmas Day.

The west London airport expects the number of passengers travelling through its terminals on December 25 to be 21% higher than on the same day last year.

It also predicts that passenger numbers for the month as a whole will exceed the previous record of 6.7 million in 2023.

The airport made the forecast after confirming it served 6.5 million passengers last month.

That was up 6.1% from the same month last year, marking its busiest ever November.

The total volume of cargo handled by Heathrow in the first 11 months of the year was 11.2% higher than in the same period in 2023.

It attributed this to an increase in the cargo capacity of modern aircraft and strong demand.

Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye said: “This year has been all about providing high levels of service for record amounts of passengers at Heathrow, and November was no different.

“As we embrace the festive season, our focus remains on ensuring smooth, joyful journeys – whether it is helping passengers get away for Christmas to reunite with their loved ones, or making sure cargo reaches its destination on time.”

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) urged passengers to be aware of their consumer rights in case their festive flights are delayed or cancelled.

Airlines are required to look after delayed passengers during hold-ups, which can include providing food, drinks and overnight accommodation if required.

Selina Chadha, the CAA’s director of the consumer and markets group, said: “While the industry is dedicated to ensuring smooth journeys, we strongly encourage passengers to familiarise themselves with their rights before heading to the airport, so they feel confident and well-prepared to address any unexpected challenges.”