Heathrow airport expects to handle more than 54 million passengers this year despite ongoing travel chaos

• London Heathrow has increased its passenger forecast for the year, according to an investor report.
• The London airport has already handled 20.1 million passengers this year, per the report.

London Heathrow expects to handle 54.4 million passengers this year despite the travel chaos affecting air travel this summer, according to an investor report released on Thursday.

In April the airport said it forecast 52.8 million passengers but had raised the outlook due to a "steady traffic increase in 2022".

Britain's biggest airport has already handled 20.1 million passengers this year even before the summer peak summer, overtaking the total for all of 2021.

Last week it also reopened Terminal 4, which had remained closed since the pandemic struck.

The increase in passengers comes despite airlines being unable to say when a wave of flight cancelations will end, Sky News reported.

All carriers contacted by the broadcaster, including EasyJet and British Airways, were unable to provide a timeline for an end to last-minute flight cancelations that have caused chaotic scenes in airports across the UK.

Airports told Sky News the matter was an issue for airlines.

Heathrow said it was "working closely" with airlines and ground handlers to match supply with demand amid ongoing travel disruption, but warned: "Rebuilding resource and capacity across all European airports including airlines and ground handlers is expected to take at least 12 months."

It said it was on track to recruit up to 1,000 new security officers this year and was working with airlines to increase automation at check-in.

The number of last-minute flight cancelations has prompted the UK government and aviation regulator to order airlines to ensure their summer schedules are deliverable.

Staff shortages and the economic impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine are among some of the reasons blamed for the surge in cancelations.