London Heathrow airport dealt with solely three-quarters of pre-pandemic passenger numbers throughout 2022 – and has warned that Covid testing might set again additional restoration.
Britain’s busiest aviation hub dealt with 61.6 million passengers final 12 months, which was 76 per cent of 2019 ranges. The determine for 2022 represented a threefold improve on the earlier 12 months, which Heathrow says is “the very best passenger improve of any airport in Europe”.
Through the coronavirus pandemic, the UK imposed tighter restrictions than some other main European nation.
Final week Covid testing was introduced again for travellers from mainland China to the UK, the overwhelming majority of whom arrive at Heathrow. Non-obligatory testing on arrival can be happening.
Heathrow’s end-of-year efficiency announcement hit out on the UK’s imposition of checks, saying: “We’re involved that the restoration of the aviation sector, which is essential to the economic system, may very well be set again by the reintroduction of testing for travellers within the UK and elsewhere in response to rising Covid ranges in China, regardless that governments acknowledge there isn’t any scientific foundation for doing so.”
Over Christmas there had been considerations about strikes by members of the PCS union working for UK Border Pressure, who walked out on seven days from 24 to 31 December.
However in its assertion, Heathrow mentioned: “Arriving travellers reported a pleasant and environment friendly journey by way of immigration regardless of industrial motion.”
Throughout December the airport dealt with a median of over 190,000 passengers per day – down 12 per cent over the corresponding month in 2019, which was the busiest-ever finish to a 12 months.
Over the Christmas peak, 92 per cent of passengers handed by way of safety in below 10 minutes.
Heathrow’s chief government, John Holland-Kaye mentioned: “2022 ended on a excessive with our busiest Christmas in three years and a clean and environment friendly service for passengers, due to the exhausting work of our colleagues and shut planning with airways, their floor handlers and Border Pressure.”
The busiest route from Heathrow was to New York JFK.
