Gatwick Airport Sees Significant Profit Decline in 2025 Financial Year
Gatwick Airport has reported a notable decrease in its annual profits, with figures revealing a 7.3% drop compared to the previous year. The West Sussex-based airport announced pre-tax profits of £422.9 million for the 2025 financial period, down from £456.4 million in 2024. This financial downturn coincides with a reduction in passenger numbers, particularly affecting short-haul flight routes.
Passenger Traffic Experiences Modest Decline
The airport recorded a total of 42.8 million passengers passing through its two terminals during the year, representing a 1.1% decrease from the previous year's figures. This decline was primarily driven by a more substantial 1.9% reduction in passengers on short-haul flights. Airport officials have attributed this decrease to "temporary issues related to aircraft availability" that affected operations throughout the year.
The aircraft availability challenges stemmed from broader industry issues, with manufacturer Airbus citing shortages of Pratt & Whitney engines as a significant factor in their failure to deliver expected numbers of new aircraft to airline partners. This supply chain disruption had ripple effects across the aviation sector, impacting passenger capacity and scheduling at major airports including Gatwick.
Long-Haul Markets Show Remarkable Growth
Despite the overall passenger decline, Gatwick reported exceptionally strong performance in several long-haul markets. The airport experienced substantial growth in key regions including:
- Sub-Saharan Africa routes: 22% increase in passenger numbers
- Far East and south Asia routes: 24% increase in passenger numbers
- Middle East and central Asia routes: 17% increase in passenger numbers
This growth in long-haul travel helped offset some of the losses from short-haul routes and demonstrated the airport's expanding global connectivity.
Infrastructure Developments and Future Plans
In September 2025, the UK Government granted Gatwick Airport approval to bring its emergency runway into regular operational use. This significant development is expected to boost the airport's annual capacity by approximately 100,000 additional flights, representing a substantial expansion of operations.
The airport has also completed several passenger-focused improvements during the year, including the opening of a newly refurbished assisted travel lounge and upgrades to the departure lounge in the South Terminal. These enhancements were complemented by the introduction of new retail partners, all aimed at improving the passenger experience.
Pierre-Hugues Schmit, Gatwick's Chief Executive, commented on the airport's performance: "London Gatwick delivered a strong performance in 2025, continuing to invest and innovate while driving productivity and efficiency across the business. Our focus on excellent passenger service is unwavering."
Schmit further elaborated on future plans: "Looking ahead, the development plans for the northern runway detail how we intend to unlock further growth for the airport, our local communities and the national economy. I am very excited for 2026 which is set to be a transformative year as we remain focused on making London Gatwick the airport for everyone, whatever your journey."
The airport's leadership emphasized their commitment to sustainability initiatives and acknowledged the dedication of staff members throughout what proved to be a challenging year for short-haul operations. With infrastructure improvements underway and strong growth in long-haul markets, Gatwick appears positioned for potential recovery and expansion in the coming year.
