Heathrow feels Middle East pain

LONDON - Fallout from the war in Iran dents traffic at London Heathrow Airport. April passenger numbers at Europe's biggest airport decreased by five percent year on year to 6.7 million, "reflecting the ongoing impact of the Middle East conflict on some markets and short-term adjustments to travel plans".

Heathrow Airport takes a hit from the crisis in the Middle East with passenger numbers down by five percent year-over-year in April.

"While we have seen some short-term disruption linked to the Middle East conflict, demand for travel remains strong with current fuel supplies stable," Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye said. "April was still our busiest month so far this year, underlining the strength of a global hub airport that can adapt quickly in times of uncertainty."

April 2026 Heathrow traffic from and to Middle East destinations dropped by 52.2 percent to 360,000 passengers with Emirates and Qatar Airways curbing schedules.

Traffic to Asia and Africa was up with more passengers switching to direct flights to bypass Middle East hubs.