Record passenger numbers for London

London - Hub of the world for air travel.

Long established as Europe’s busiest city in terms of air passenger numbers London is well on its way to hitting record figures for 2024.

As the co-ordinator of all the 43 UK aerodromes offering scheduled services the Civil Aviation Authority lags behind those from individual operations, the May figures published in mid-July.  

Heathrow says that it moved 81m passengers in the 12 months through to June and seems confident that when the annual figures come out early in the new year it will set a new record.  

Gatwick is lagging behind with 4.17m for May 2019 as against 3.9m for May of this year and a 2024 total of 43.7m as against 46.6m in 2019.  

Stansted, whilst still third in terms of numbers, is really booming with 2024 target of nearly 30m as against the 27m of 2019.

Luton had hopes of 20m passengers by 2024.  The disastrous car park fire last October did not help matters.  The 18m throughput of 2018 is not an unreasonable target.  

Southend is working hard to attract carriers, easyJet now back serving 11 airports.

London City continues to struggle, its 2019 record of 5.1m passengers seemingly a long way off, around only 3.4m likely to pass through the award-winning airport this year.  Airside shop revenue is also reduced. The work of a previous CEO, Declan Collier, with the remote air traffic control tower, larger apron and parallel taxiway has not brought the success the airport deserves.  

There seems to be a breakdown of the relationship with the local council.  Although a neighbour with City Hall just a mile away in line with the runway London Mayor Sadiq Khan has never been a visitor.  He was in Paris for the opening of the Olympics.  The airport was considered an integral part of the nearby Stratford 2012 games, with Queen Elizabeth paying a visit.  A new CEO is in place.  See www.travelnewsupdate.co.uk/article/756.

With Heathrow publishing record half-year figures TNU shows below the actual CAA May London figures, easily the world's number one air transport city.  A quick look will note that not all the airports are booming!

2019 LONDON AIRPORTS PASSENGER NUMBERS

MAY 2019 LONDON AIRPORTS PASSENGER NUMBERS

MAY 2024 LONDON AIRPORTS PASSENGER NUMBERS

www.caa.co.uk

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