After struggling to reclaim numbers and return to its position as one of the leading airports in the world, Heathrow Airport in London finally sees a significant jump in passenger numbers in December, thanks to transatlantic travel over the holiday period.

Christmas and New Year reunions fuelled passenger growth during December, with more than 5.9 million passengers travelling in the month, a jump of over 90 pc compared with the same time last year, says the main airport in London, which has struggled with severe staff shortages and hence not yet returned to its pre-pandemic position as one of the top international travel hubs in the world.

According to a press statement issued Heathrow Airport, transatlantic travel was a key driver behind last month’s high passenger volumes, with JFK clinching the top spot as the airport’s busiest route.

‘‘Forward planning and close collaboration with airport partners ensured we provided a smooth and efficient service to travellers throughout the festive period.  92 pc of passengers passed through security in under 10 minutes during the Christmas peak, service for passengers with reduced mobility improved, and arriving travellers reported a friendly and efficient journey through immigration in spite of industrial action,’’ says Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye.

In total, in the year 2022, Heathrow welcomed 61.6 million passengers, which is about 76 pc of the traffic in 2019. It represents a 46 pc growth over the 42.2 million passengers that passed through the airport in 2021. Heathrow says that this is the highest passenger increase of any airport in Europe.

‘‘Providing excellent service remains our key priority for 2023, as the aviation industry rebuilds capacity and resilience. We are concerned that the recovery of the aviation sector, which is critical to the economy, could be set back by the reintroduction of testing for travellers in the UK and elsewhere in response to increasing Covid-19 levels in China, even though governments acknowledge there is no scientific basis for doing so,’’ says Holland-Kaye.

“2022 ended on a high with our busiest Christmas in three years and a smooth and efficient service for passengers, thanks to the hard work of our colleagues and close planning with airlines, their ground handlers and Border Force,” he adds.