UK Airport Passenger Milestone Masks Steep Drop in Gulf Routes

UK airports set a record for second-quarter passenger numbers, exceeding 81 million, but growth was nearly flat at 0.15% year-over-year. The modest increase masked a sharp collapse in traffic to Gulf states, with declines ranging from 40% to 68% across five markets, and Emirates and Qatar Airways each losing over 40% of UK passengers. Dubai fell to 15th place among international destinations, highlighting a shift from high-value long-haul to low-cost short-haul travel.