Heathrow still of global importance, survey finds

The importance of Britain's busiest airport has been highlighted in a passenger survey from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

In 2010 more than half of all passengers passing through Heathrow Airport were foreign residents (58 per cent). That figure was just 55 per cent in 2007 and has been rising steadily since, found the CAA.

The importance of Britain's busiest airport has been highlighted in a passenger survey from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

In 2010 more than half of all passengers passing through Heathrow Airport were foreign residents (58 per cent). That figure was just 55 per cent in 2007 and has been rising steadily since, found the CAA.

However, the popularity of connecting flights at the international airport has dropped slightly. Last year, 36 per cent of Heathrow passengers were connecting passengers, down from 38 per cent in 2009. Yet there were still more connecting passengers last year compared to 2008 and 2007, at 35 per cent and 34 per cent respectively.

While the airport may still be among the top airports for business travellers, providing exclusive club classes, waiting rooms and prestige car hire, Heathrow wasn't actually the most business-centric airport. That accolade went to London City airport, with 63 per cent of its passengers saying that they were doing so for the purposes of business. The Press Association reports that this is a seven per cent increase on last year.

Explaining why the findings are important to the industry, CAA regulatory policy director Iain Osborne said: "We survey people using UK airports to make sure that we understand how and why people travel by air to make sure that our regulation is tailored to their needs.

"This year's results will inform our response to the government's work to develop an aviation policy framework - with information about how passengers use the country's major airports particularly relevant to government," he added, according to Independent.co.uk.