Speaking at an event hosted by Aviation Club UK in London, Woldbye suggested that cultural differences in walking habits may be contributing to the sense of congestion. According to him, British passengers tend to keep to the left, while many European travellers stick to the right often in both directions creating bottlenecks and the impression of chaos in busy corridors.
“One of the jokes I have with our people is that one of the reasons Terminal 5 is crowded, which it’s not actually, is people are in the wrong place,” he said, adding that he has personally witnessed passengers “crashing into each other”.
He noted that although Terminals 2 and 5 are often perceived as the busiest, internal metrics show a different picture. In fact, Terminal 3 tends to score best in passenger satisfaction surveys regarding space, even though Terminal 5 which handles around 30 million travellers annually offers more physical room.
Heathrow processes approximately 200,000 passengers a day and has set a target of accommodating 10 million additional passenger journeys annually by 2031 as part of a broader modernisation programme. This expansion plan is separate from proposals for a third runway, which would not be operational before 2035 at the earliest.
To address concerns, Woldbye said the airport is focusing on improving passenger flow rather than simply increasing space. Measures include removing unnecessary fixtures such as old phone boxes, rearranging seating areas and relocating information desks to create clearer walkways.
“It’s not just passengers per square metre anymore,” he explained. “It’s passengers per square metre per minute.” The goal, he said, is to ensure travellers feel they are moving smoothly through check-in, security, shopping areas and towards their gates.
The issue comes amid wider discussions about Heathrow’s future capacity. UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has voiced support for a third runway, with the government expected to outline conditions the airport must meet including environmental standards on air quality and noise before final approval.
For now, Heathrow maintains that while there may indeed be more passengers, better design and improved flow can make the experience feel significantly less crowded.
