While Heathrow airport pulled out all the stops as the official Games airport, the "Olympics effect" saw its passenger numbers fall again in August.
In the first two weeks of the month numbers dropped almost 5% at BAA's five airports, but grew once the Games were over. A total of 9.5 million passengers passed through, 6.5 million at Heathrow, down overall by 2% on the previous August.
BAA said it suggested a continuation of the Olympics effect reported in July, with British passengers staying home and non-Olympic visitors deciding to defer their journeys. Before the Games, the airport had geared up for its busiest ever days but the anticipated traffic failed to materialise.
(Guardian, September 11, 2012)