More than 7 million passengers passed through London's Heathrow Airport in September, the first month since February 2020 to exceed 2019 traffic levels.
The figure was an increase of 22.4 per cent on September last year.
The month also saw 686,000 passengers from the Middle East travel through Heathrow, an increase of 11.4 per cent compared to September 2022.
Between January and September this year, 7.2 million passengers from the Asia-Pacific region used Heathrow, a 98 per cent increase on the same period in 2022.
'Solid legacy'
The September figures are the last under the leadership of John Holland-Kaye, who has been the chief executive at Heathrow for the past decade, overseeing the successful revamping of Terminal 2 and guiding the airport through the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Holland-Kaye will hand over to Thomas Woldbye next week.
“It has been a privilege to lead the very talented team which in less than a decade transformed Heathrow into a hub airport that the whole nation can be proud of,” Mr Holland-Kaye said.
“We have built a solid legacy for my successor: Heathrow is now a customer service business with a clear path to net zero by 2050 and a plan to grow and to connect all of Britain to global growth.”
Mr Woldbye, who was the boss of Copenhagen Airport for 12 years, was confirmed as the successor to Mr Holland-Kaye in June.
Last month, Heathrow won third place in the Business Traveller 2023 awards for the best airport in the world. The magazine's readers also voted Heathrow as the best airport in Europe and the best airport for shopping.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
