Heathrow continued to smash passenger traffic records in September after its busiest ever summer.

Latest official figures show that 7.3 million passenger passed through the west London hub during the month, continuing a trend that has gathered pace all year.

Last September was the first time that Heathrow had handled more than 7 million passengers in the month but this year’s total is more than 200,000 higher.

Aviation analysts believe the storming numbers mean that Heathrow bosses will revive plans for a third runway which have been officially “under review” since the pandemic. Passengers volumes have recovered far more quickly than expected since all pandemic travel restrictions were finally lifted last year.

The busy start to Autumn comes after a record summer when more than 30 million passengers arrived or departed through Heathrow between June and September.

Another record was broken on 2 September when more than 140,500 passengers landed at Heathrow making it the airport’s busiest ever arrivals today just ahead of the return to schools at the end of the summer holidays.

Heathrow also announced today that Georgia’s capital Tblisi will return to its route map next summer with the resumption of direct British Airways services after a decade’s hiatus.

Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye said: “We are closing out our super summer on a high, with over 30 million passengers passing through Heathrow’s doors in the last 4 months. Being named the most connected airport and best airport for retail in the world is testament to the strong relationship we have cultivated with our airlines and retailers.”