Business and traffic commentary Oct 2026
Summary by AI BETAClose X
From Belfast to Newcastle, Inverness to Newquay - Expansion set to unlock nationwide economic growth
- Heathrow welcomed close to 7.3m passengers in October, with traffic volumes holding steady, particularly over a strong half-term holiday period
- Cargo volumes grew year-on-year, up 5.8% and reinforcing Heathrow’s unique role as the UK’s most valuable port and a critical gateway for trade
- Heathrow’s focus on delivering excellent service has helped us retain our position as Europe’s most punctual hub. We continue to outperform other major hub airports, providing a strong foundation for future growth
- Airlines remain keen to expand their presence at the airport. Expanding Heathrow will ultimately unlock much-needed additional capacity, increasing competition on existing routes and enabling new connections, including to underserved parts of the UK
- All sectors of the country’s economy stand to gain from a third runway. The benefits will be felt nationwide, with 60% of the economic growth generated set to be delivered outside of London and the South East
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Heathrow is laying the groundwork to ensure expansion creates a lasting impact across every nation and region of the UK. During the month of October, Heathrow:
- Signed a landmark agreement to power expansion with Welsh steel. The new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) places 7 Steel UK at the heart of the airport’s growth plans, reinforcing the airport’s commitment to using UK-made steel and delivering a significant boost for British manufacturing
- Hosted its second regional business summit, this time in Liverpool, as part of an ongoing programme to open the door to Heathrow’s multibillion pound supply chain and connect regional businesses with global opportunities
- Secured support for expansion from airports across the country, following a new MoU with the RABA Group, who represent close to 40 Regional and Business Airports. Together, Heathrow and key regional airports are committed to protecting and enhancing the UK’s domestic connectivity as the airport expands
Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye said:
"The case for Heathrow expansion is an indisputable case for growth across the entire UK. The benefits will not stop at the airport’s boundary, but rather they’ll be felt by manufacturers, entrepreneurs and exporters in every nation and region. With backing from Ministers to provide the right policy and regulatory framework, expansion will unlock highly skilled jobs, drive a new era of industrial growth and strengthen our domestic connectivity. Every part of the UK stands to gain from reliable access to the country's global gateway. The case for expansion has never been clearer, the private investment is available, and the opportunities are there to be seized.”
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Traffic Summary |
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October 2026 |
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Terminal Passengers |
Oct 2026 |
% Change |
Jan to Oct 2026 |
% Change |
Nov 2025 to Oct 2026 |
% Change |
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Market |
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UK |
379 |
-6.0 |
3,754 |
-0.8 |
4,556 |
-0.9 |
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EU |
2,570 |
-0.3 |
24,299 |
1.4 |
28,753 |
1.6 |
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Non-EU Europe |
486 |
5.2 |
4,759 |
2.7 |
5,684 |
2.8 |
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Africa |
289 |
-1.1 |
2,881 |
3.9 |
3,495 |
4.4 |
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North America |
1,867 |
1.1 |
17,507 |
0.5 |
20,644 |
0.2 |
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Latin America |
173 |
1.6 |
1,778 |
-0.8 |
2,146 |
-2.6 |
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Middle East |
563 |
-21.0 |
5,491 |
-23.0 |
7,139 |
-17.6 |
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Asia / Pacific |
968 |
7.5 |
9,728 |
6.3 |
11,602 |
5.7 |
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Total |
7,296 |
-1.0 |
70,196 |
-0.6 |
84,019 |
-0.2 |
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Air Transport Movements |
Oct 2026 |
% Change |
Jan to Oct 2026 |
% Change |
Nov 2025 to Oct 2026 |
% Change |
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Market |
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UK |
2,929 |
-7.8 |
29,896 |
-2.7 |
36,525 |
-2.8 |
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EU |
17,411 |
-5.3 |
171,507 |
-2.7 |
204,726 |
-2.0 |
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Non-EU Europe |
3,273 |
1.6 |
32,863 |
-0.1 |
39,719 |
0.8 |
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Africa |
1,339 |
3.6 |
12,834 |
3.9 |
15,642 |
4.0 |
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North America |
8,106 |
-0.1 |
77,526 |
-0.1 |
91,401 |
-0.2 |
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Latin America |
716 |
4.2 |
7,201 |
-1.2 |
8,719 |
-3.0 |
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Middle East |
1,924 |
-26.5 |
19,893 |
-22.6 |
25,908 |
-16.4 |
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Asia / Pacific |
4,111 |
10.2 |
39,467 |
8.7 |
47,185 |
8.2 |
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Total |
39,809 |
-3.4 |
391,188 |
-2.0 |
469,826 |
-1.3 |
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Cargo (incl. Mail, Charter & Positioning flights) |
Oct 2026 |
% Change |
Jan to Oct 2026 |
% Change |
Nov 2025 to Oct 2026 |
% Change |
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Market |
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UK |
41 |
-27.9 |
430 |
-22.2 |
565 |
-11.8 |
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EU |
6,281 |
-2.9 |
60,297 |
0.4 |
73,954 |
-0.5 |
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Non-EU Europe |
3,225 |
-2.8 |
30,781 |
-9.6 |
36,156 |
-11.1 |
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Africa |
8,302 |
-2.5 |
79,664 |
2.6 |
97,155 |
1.1 |
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North America |
62,520 |
11.6 |
560,755 |
4.0 |
675,282 |
3.4 |
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Latin America |
4,258 |
-9.8 |
43,634 |
-8.0 |
52,991 |
-8.3 |
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Middle East |
18,636 |
-14.7 |
181,664 |
-13.5 |
227,584 |
-12.0 |
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Asia / Pacific |
41,875 |
15.4 |
381,558 |
11.2 |
455,797 |
10.5 |
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Total |
145,137 |
5.8 |
1,338,794 |
2.0 |
1,619,494 |
1.6 |
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