Heathrow sees plunge in passenger numbers as coronavirus hits demand

The number of travellers passing through Heathrow fell by over 200,000 last month, the airport said on Wednesday, as it joined a list of companies warning coronavirus is hitting trade.

Europe’s busiest airport said there were 5.4 million passengers in February, down 4.8% on a year earlier.

It pointed to lower demand on Asian and European routes and warned bookings had weakened going into this month. Heathrow expects a further year-on-year decrease in the coming weeks.

Chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: “The threat of coronavirus is an increasing challenge for the UK and we are working day and night to ensure Britain’s front door is open and safe for our people and passengers. We will continue to work with the Government to limit the impacts this will have on UK plc.”

The airport also saw cargo volumes fall 9.5% to 115,800 tonnes last month.

On a busy day in the coronavirus crisis:

-European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde said Europe risks a major economic shock similar to the financial crisis unless leaders act urgently, and indicated the lender will take steps as soon as this week. She reportedly said that, without co-ordinated action, Europe “will see a scenario that will remind many of us of the 2008 great financial crisis”.

-German sportswear makers adidas and Puma warned of a major decline in sales in China due to coronavirus and said, while there were early signs of improvement there, the impact had spread to other markets. Adidas expects to take a $1.1 billion revenue hit in the first quarter while Puma abandoned its 2020 guidance.

-Russian tycoon Mikhail Fridman is considering postponing the biggest stock-market float planned in Europe this year, Bloomberg reported. The $20 billion IPO of Wintershall Dea, his oil and gas venture with BASF, had been expected to list in the second half of the year.

-Retail veteran Sir John Timpson, founder of the Timpson chain, said he had seen a “3%-4%” drop-off in the number of shoppers in the High Street.

-Shepherd Neame, the pubs landlord and Britain’s oldest brewer, said while it has not seen any hit from coronavirus, it remains concerned about a potential impact on trading and its supply chain.