Heathrow airport asks for assistance to maintain smooth summer travel as losses increase

An aerial view of planes at the terminals of London's Heathrow Airport. 'The National' takes a look back at Heathrow through the years. (Photos: Getty Images)

Heathrow Airport chastised the UK's Border Force following its financial results for the first quarter of the year.

Following weeks of lengthy waits at Heathrow, the business announced plans to hire more than 1,000 additional security officers in preparation for the summer season.

However, Heathrow stated that while it was willing to contribute to the ease of travel, the Home Office, which administers the border, must also take responsibility.

"An orderly arrival is more critical than ever as many people resume travel. We rely on Border Force to have the appropriate plans and resources in place for the summer peak," Heathrow stated in a Monday report.

In recent weeks, there has been a boom in demand for travel out of the UK after the complete removal of coronavirus travel restrictions in March.

Due to staff shortages, thousands of travelers were forced to wait hours for security and passport checks at Heathrow.

Additionally, there were long lines at Manchester and Birmingham airports, where staff shortages caused similar issues.

The airline said that Heathrow handled approximately 9.7 million passengers in the first three months, in line with projections.

The airport in west London increased its passenger prediction for 2022 from 45.5 million to 52.8 million, or 65 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

Heathrow stated that it will lose money in 2022 because "demand remains extremely volatile."

The UK's busiest airport, Heathrow, has experienced losses of over £4 billion ($5.1 billion) during the pandemic.

"Demand remains extremely volatile, and we anticipate a significant decline in passenger numbers following the summer," an airport official said.

"We are already seeing airlines delay flights until October, and the realities of increasing fuel costs, slower GDP growth, the Ukraine war, and the pandemic will weigh on demand.

"We are still in the midst of a pandemic, with many markets still closed and nearly 80% requiring testing and vaccination, and another variant of concern could result in the reinstatement of UK travel restrictions."

The airport reported a significant increase in demand for last-minute bookings during the Easter break, and an additional market is predicted during the summer months.

At Easter, Heathrow reported that more than 95% of travelers passed through security checks in under five minutes.

Terminal 4, which has been shut down since the epidemic began in 2020, will reopen in July, relieving pressure on the remaining terminals — T2, T3, and T5.

The organization stated that it supports airlines, ground handlers, and stores in recruiting labor following the layoff of thousands of workers during the coronavirus outbreak. As the tourism industry improves, around 12,000 positions have become available at the airport.

"I want to express my gratitude to colleagues who worked tirelessly to ensure the start of 2022 went smoothly, and I want to reassure passengers that we're redoubling our efforts to ensure this summer's journeys go safely and smoothly," Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said.

"The last few weeks have reaffirmed our belief that passengers expect simple, quick, and dependable journeys every time they travel and that we can continue to provide for less than a 2% increase in ticket pricing.

"The CAA [Civil Aviation Authority] should be focusing on securing this victory for passengers rather than promoting plans that will reduce service investment, increase queues, and make delays a permanent feature post-Covid," he said.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us to reclaim Heathrow's crown as Europe's largest airport, which will result in increased competition and choice for passengers and economic growth for the United Kingdom, and we will need the regulator's assistance."

Publish : 2022-04-26 15:56:00

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