Heathrow passenger numbers narrowly beneath pre-coronavirus ranges

Heathrow Airport’s passenger numbers in January have been narrowly beneath pre-pandemic ranges.

The west London airport stated it was utilized by 6.0 million passengers final month.

That compares with 6.1 million in January 2020.

The load of cargo dealt with by the airport rose from 116,000 tonnes to 122,000 tonnes over the identical interval.

The airport claimed exporters are “thriving” however the UK has “shut the door on home-grown progress” by “turning away worldwide consumers via the vacationer tax”.

Then-chancellor Rishi Sunak determined in 2020 to finish a scheme enabling vacationers to assert again the 20% VAT fee on items purchased within the UK.

Heathrow has joined with enterprise teams the British Chambers of Commerce and the Federation of Small Companies to name for a tax-free buying incentive to be reintroduced at subsequent month’s spring Price range.