Heathrow Airport welcomed over 6.2 million passengers in March 2025, experiencing a modest year-on-year decline attributed to shifting holiday patterns and a brief operational disruption.
The slight passenger decrease was influenced by the timing of Ramadan and a later Easter holiday this year, both of which altered typical travel patterns. Additionally, the airport faced a 10-hour closure due to a power supply failure caused by a major fire at the North Hyde substation operated by National Grid and SSEN.
Despite the passenger dip, cargo operations showed encouraging growth, with Heathrow handling over 144,000 tonnes of cargo in March. Particularly notable was a 4% year-on-year increase in cargo transported in the belly hold of passenger flights, underlining the airport’s vital role in facilitating UK trade.
“It’s great to see strong demand to travel through Heathrow,” said Thomas Woldbye, Heathrow CEO. “Whilst passenger numbers were slightly down due to changing holidays this year, belly hold cargo on passenger flights was a bright spot growing 4% and underlining the importance of Heathrow as the UK’s gateway to growth.”
The airport is expanding its global connections with eight new and resumed routes joining its network. Virgin Atlantic, Air Canada, and British Airways will offer new services to destinations including Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Ottawa (Canada), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). For the first time in a decade, flights will also connect Heathrow with Tbilisi, Georgia.
Several of these new destinations feature UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Canada’s Rideau Canal in Ottawa, Santiago de Compostela’s Old Town, the Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna near Rimini, and Georgia’s Historic Monuments of Mtskheta.
Looking ahead, Heathrow anticipates increased passenger traffic in the coming months as travelers plan Easter reunions and trips during the May bank holidays. Despite March’s slight decline, Woldbye confirmed the airport remains “on track to see another record year in 2025.”
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