Heathrow Airport sees April passenger numbers soar to 6.8m as

Heathrow Airport had its busiest ever April last month with a 3.3 per cent increase on the year before as passenger numbers soared to 6.79m. 

It was the 30th consecutive month of growth for the airport as it averaged 226,600 passengers per day.

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A large reason for the increase in numbers was due to new flight routes to North America as well as Africa.

There was a 7.5 per cent increase in passengers flying to North America compared with March, Heathrow's most popular destination, aided by new flights to Nashville, Pittsburgh and Charleston. 

Africa also saw an increase of 12 per cent after the creation of new routes to Durban, Marrakesh and the Seychelles.

It comes after a High Court ruling dismissed legal challenges to Heathrow's expansion, meaning the construction of a third runway looks set to go ahead, though campaigner Heathrow Hub has appealed. 

The airport will hold a statutory consultation on its proposals next month, giving the local communities a chance to help shape Heathrow's future. 

Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye believes it is an important milestone and significant in maintaining Britain's economic growth, although he did stress the importance of reducing the airport's carbon footprint.

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"Increasing passenger demand and new long haul and domestic routes are a reminder of the critical role aviation plays in our economy, connecting all of Britain to global growth," he said. 

"However, to maintain the economic benefits of flying for future generations, aviation must play its part in keeping global warming within 1.5 degrees. Carbon is the problem, not flying, and Heathrow is taking a lead in moving the global aviation sector to net zero carbon emissions by 2050."