HEATHROW in the headlines: fuel crunches hit flights and costs amid Middle East conflict; expansion plans loom after profit dip. London’s busiest airport.
Dubai International Airport has seen a dramatic traffic rebound as airspace disruptions from regional conflict ease, with March passenger numbers recovering from earlier declines. Dubai Airports is expanding flight movements in line with available regional routing capacity.
Record‑level and near‑record May temperatures have been reported across multiple regions this week — parts of England and Russia have hit unusually high temps while the eastern US has recorded low‑90s — even as eastern Australia is facing a major rain band. Forecasts show brief, intense heat will give way to fronts or rain in most places; Australia is also seeing El Niño odds rise for winter.
Airlines face higher jet fuel costs amid the Iran war, with easyJet warning summer bookings are behind last year while Ryanair and Heathrow report mixed demand. Airlines hedge fuel and adjust fares, while passengers shift to later bookings and longer rail trips.
Western Europe has experienced unprecedented early-summer heat this week: the UK has broken its May temperature record twice, with provisional readings reaching 34.8–35.1°C in London and Heathrow, while France, Spain, Italy and Ireland have logged unusually high May temperatures. Scientists are linking the event to a north-African "heat dome" and human-driven climate change.