78m passengers for Heathrow

HEATHROW Airport said a recordbreaking 78m passengers passed through its terminals in 2017.

Larger and fuller aircraft helped numbers grow by 3.1pc on the previous year, with UK travel up 6.6pc and Asia travel up 5.5pc.

Christmas was also 2.8pc busier, with more than 6.3m passengers.

The airport published the figures as it prepares to launch its first planning consultation on expansion. It wants to build a third runway and a sixth terminal amid estimates London’s airports will hit full capacity within the next 20 years.

Yesterday, Heathrow bosses claimed its noise footprint was at its smallest recorded level in 11 years, with 15pc fewer households affected. It said airlines were using quieter aircraft, while night flights had decreased by a third.