Heathrow6.45% S Regulatory News (88BX)

07.00 11th August 2015

Heathrow traffic and business commentary July 2015

· July was a month of personal bests for Heathrow, with the UK's only hub welcoming a record 7.29 million passengers (+4.7% on July 2014) and for the first time ever serving over a quarter of a million passengers, not just once but on three separate days. July 31st saw the most passengers ever travelling through Heathrow, with 254,375 passengers choosing the UK's only hub airport

· Larger, quieter, fuller aircraft continued to be a driver for passenger growth at Heathrow. Seats per aircraft increased 2.3% to 209.6 while passengers per aircraft rose 4.1% to 175.6 and load factors increased 1.8% to 83.8%

· Within emerging markets, passenger volumes were particularly strong to Mexico which was up 29.5%, China up 13.7% and Brazil up 1.6%. Middle East traffic was also up 13.3% as carriers added new A380s to these segments

· Heathrow continues to welcome the transfer passengers that make such long-haul flights possible, with year-on-year volumes increasing 2.5%

· Cargo volumes at Heathrow, the UK's biggest port by value, recorded growth of 3.2% over the past 12 months, with increases to notable emerging markets including 41.3% to Mexico, 26.3% to Turkey, 18.6% to Brazil, 10.7% to India

· Heathrow is Britain's link with global markets, enabling trade and tourism by hosting over 70% of the UK's long-haul flights. The airport has seen significant increasing demand for services to fast-growing markets like Mexico and China, but without additional capacity this growth cannot continue. The Airports Commission found in its recent recommendation that new opportunities for trade are dependent on improved global connectivity and an expanded Heathrow will provide this

Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said:

"I agree with the Prime Minister's comments during the recent trade mission to South East Asia that Britain should be trading more with the rest of the world.

As the UK's largest port, Heathrow is the beating heart of Britain's trading network. Our best exports, whether Scottish salmon or life-saving pharmaceuticals, all pass through Heathrow on their way to markets across the globe. With expansion, we can add connections to new markets, opening up the lucrative trade routes that will secure British prosperity over the coming decades."