Heathrow April Passengers Down 5% Due to Middle East Conflict

Heathrow Airport handled 6.7 million passengers in April 2026, a 5.3 percent decline year-on-year, as the ongoing Middle East conflict continued to suppress traffic on affected routes and prompt some short-term adjustments to travel plans.

The impact on Middle East routes was stark: passenger numbers on that corridor fell 52.4 percent in April alone, and 23.4 percent across the first four months of 2026. Air transport movements to and from the region dropped 43.1 percent in April.

However, Heathrow's hub model showed its resilience elsewhere. Transfer passenger demand rose 10 percent year-on-year in April, as travellers rerouted through the airport to benefit from its direct connectivity to Asia and Oceania. Asia-Pacific traffic was a clear bright spot, growing 5.6 percent in passengers and 7.6 percent in air transport movements for the month. Africa also posted solid growth of 6.8 percent. Cargo volumes across the airport remained broadly stable, up 1 percent overall in April, with strong Asia-Pacific cargo growth of 15.1 percent partially offsetting Middle East cargo declines of 23.7 percent.

Heathrow noted that April was still its busiest month of 2026 so far, and that fuel supplies remain currently stable. CEO Thomas Woldbye said the airport is working closely with the government and airline partners to give passengers confidence in planning their summer travel. Heathrow has indicated it will review and update its full-year 2026 passenger forecast in June in light of the evolving Middle East situation.

The airport also highlighted recent CAA data showing Heathrow as London's most punctual airport, performing well compared to European hub competitors heading into the busy summer season.