Heathrow Airport’s modern chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, has attributed perceived congestion within Terminal 5 not to overcrowding, but to differing pedestrian habits between British and European travelers. Woldbye, speaking at an industry event, observed that British passengers consistently walk on the left, while their European counterparts favor the right, leading to frequent collisions, according to a report by the BBC.
“All the British people keep to the left and all the Europeans keep to the right,” Woldbye said. “And they do that in both directions, so we get everybody crashing into each other, and I spot that from personal experience.”
The observation came as Woldbye addressed broader challenges facing the UK’s busiest airport, including the stalled progress of a planned third runway. While the government continues to support the expansion, intended to increase Heathrow’s annual passenger capacity from 84 million to 150 million, Woldbye expressed uncertainty about the project’s timeline. He cited a lack of modernization of airspace regulations and a clear long-term business case as key obstacles, stating that “lots of stuff has to be done this year in order to enable the actual commencement of building.”
The proposed third runway has faced significant opposition from climate campaigners and local residents, despite government assertions that the expansion is vital for economic growth. Some economists, however, dispute the claim of economic benefit.
Woldbye suggested that “soft skills,” such as directing pedestrian traffic, could help mitigate congestion in the short term. He indicated the airport is considering measures to encourage passengers to adhere to separate sides of walkways depending on their direction of travel.
Heathrow is currently implementing new security scanners across all terminals, allowing passengers to keep liquids and laptops in their bags. The airport is too promoting new flight routes for 2026 and offering wellness essentials and eSIM deals for travelers. Official Heathrow Parking and terminal drop-off services remain available.
The expansion project is estimated to cost £49 billion, according to the BBC, and remains a contentious issue due to environmental concerns and potential disruption to local communities.
