Heathrow airport has warned it expects its passenger numbers for the rest of the year to be affected by the situation in the Middle East . Some 18.9 million people passed through its four terminals during the first three months of the year. This was a year-on-year increase of 3.7%, which the west London airport said was because it “temporarily absorbed demand from elsewhere”. About half a million passengers per day usually use airports in Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi , which are vital hubs for travel between Europe and the continents of Asia and Australia. Airspace closures following the outbreak of the war in the Middle East on February 28 had a major impact on air travel. Much of the region’s airspace has since reopened, but many people are avoiding flying there because of the war.…