Heathrow Airport envisions pick-up in passengers

Passenger numbers passing through Heathrow Airport can be expected to "grow quite rapidly again" with the introduction of Terminal 5, a spokesperson for the Airport Operators Association (AOA) has predicted.

Although a "relative decline" in passenger numbers has been witnessed in recent years due to possible confusion over security limitations on hand luggage and the migration of a small proportion of business passengers across to private jets, "Heathrow and the other London airports are still growing strongly", the AOA representative insisted.

Compared to its London rivals, Heathrow has been held back recently by capacity constraints which the opening of the new Terminal will redress, he said, but "once Terminal 5 opens next year, I think you'll see that Heathrow will be able to grow again quite rapidly".

However strong Heathrow's growth, though, the most impressive advances in passenger figures in recent years have been seen at the UK's regional airports, with Bournemouth Airport gaining 70 per cent in passenger figures in 2005 and Coventry Airport picking up 59 per cent.