Britain’s busiest airport only handled a tenth of passengers ahead of the pandemic in the first half of 2021.
The latest figures from Heathrow show just 3.8 million travelers passed through what was Europe’s busiest airport between January and June 2021, up from 39 million during the same period in 2019.
Figures are expected to rise from next week, with UK travelers fully vaccinated by the NHS being allowed to return from ‘Orange List’ countries without quarantine.
But no such concession applies to passengers who have received their jabs abroad.
Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: “While it is fantastic news that some double-vaccinated passengers will no longer need to be quarantined in Amber countries, ministers must expand this policy to American and European nationals if they want to launch the economic recovery.
“These changes will be critical for exporters who lose out to EU rivals and families who have been separated from loved ones.”
Heathrow was previously the first link from Europe to the United States, but the number of transatlantic passengers has fallen by 80% due to Joe Biden’s presidential proclamation against British visitors and the requirement for American arrivals to United Kingdom to isolate itself.
The airport estimates that the continued closure of most transatlantic routes is costing the UK economy at least £ 23million a day.
Heathrow’s freight tonnage is down a sixth, compared to increases of 14% and 9% respectively in Amsterdam and Frankfurt.
Currently, Heathrow is operating with only two of its four terminals open, but from this week Terminal 3 will resume operations.
In addition, Manchester Airport has announced that an extension of its existing Terminal 2 will open its doors to passengers on Wednesday, July 14. Jet2, Tui and Singapore Airlines will be the first users.
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Source: www.independent.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-07-12 08:08:40
