April 13 (Reuters) - Heathrow Airport forecast an uncertain couple of months ahead on Monday amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, but said the impact to global supply chains, including fuel, have
UK's Heathrow airport says outlook uncertain as Mideast conflict shifts passenger flows
Heathrow Airport Faces Uncertain Outlook Amid Middle East Conflict
April 13 (Reuters) - Heathrow Airport forecast an uncertain few months ahead as capacity constraints crimp its ability to benefit from a shift in global aviation patterns resulting from the Iran war, https://www.reuters.com/world/iran/ with the west London hub saying its growth lagged European competitors as runway slots remain full.
The UK's biggest airport handled 6.6 million passengers in March, up nearly 7% from a year earlier, as it redirected traffic flows to cope with airspace closures across the Middle East.
Heathrow's Response to Shifting Travel Trends
"We're doing everything we can to support airlines and passengers as travel trends shift during the Middle East crisis," said Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye. "While Heathrow's long-haul network absorbed demand in March, the outlook for the next few months remains uncertain."
Capacity Constraints and Expansion Plans
The UK government approved plans for a third runway nL8N3X10EO at the airport last year, but with the broader planning process expected to drag on for years, it is not expected to be operational until at least 2035.
Competition from European Hubs
Heathrow warned nL8N3ZL0T4 in February that Istanbul will overtake it as Europe's busiest hub this year or the next as it works with two runways compared with Istanbul's five.
Changing Passenger Flows and Route Popularity
Asia & Africa Routes Gain Popularity
Heathrow said Middle East routes plunged 51.1% while Asia-Pacific and Africa traffic rose 31.1% and 23.3% respectively, with the number of transfer passengers jumping 10% as travellers rerouted their journeys.
Airline Adjustments and Operational Impacts
British Airways, the UK's flag carrier and highest-grossing airline, said last week it would cut flights to the Middle East nL6N40S0P0 when services resume, while adding capacity to India and Africa.
Heathrow said the conflict's knock-on impacts to global supply chains, including fuel, have not affected its operations.
Reporting and Editorial Credits
(Reporting by Yamini Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala, Kirsten Donovan)
