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London Heathrow announces first dividend since pandemic following ownership change

The London airport has agreed to pay its new owners a £250m dividend in the coming weeks, the first since before the pandemic

An Emirates plane taking off from Heathrow(Image: Steve Parsons/PA Wire)

London Heathrow Airport is set to award its new French and Saudi proprietors their first dividend in five years, following a surge in passenger numbers that hit record levels in 2024.

The West London transport hub has approved a £250m payout in the coming weeks, marking the first distribution since the pre-pandemic era, as reported by .

The airport experienced a significant shift in ownership during 2024 when Spanish conglomerate Ferrovial divested its controlling interest to Ardian and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).

This development accompanied Heathrow's announcement of its annual financial results on Wednesday.

Despite facilitating a record-breaking 83.9 million passengers, adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA), alongside revenue, fell by 8.7% and 3.5% respectively.

Heathrow attributes this downturn to decreased airport charges, which were mandated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in a 2024 regulatory verdict. Nevertheless, pre-tax profit experienced substantial growth, soaring by 30.8% to reach £917m.

Amidst these financial dynamics, Heathrow emerged as a cornerstone in the Labour government’s strategy for economic expansion this January, as Rachel Reeves lent her support to the long-stalled plans for constructing a third runway at the airport.

With intentions to lodge a planning application for the multi-billion-pound endeavour in the upcoming summer, Heathrow aims to boost the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ's infrastructure considerably.