UK. London Heathrow Airport served just under 2.6 million passengers in January, a leap of +283% year-on-year but -56% down compared to pre-pandemic levels. The airport company said that demand was weaker than expected in the month as the impact of the Omicron variant suppressed consumer confidence.
“Over 1.3 million passengers cancelled or did not book their trips because of Omicron restrictions in December and January,” Heathrow said in a statement.
“While bookings for outbound tourism are recovering, inbound tourism and business travel remain weak due to COVID-19 levels in the UK and other countries, international testing requirements and the risk of new border closures in the event of a new variant of concern.”
Heathrow urged the UK government to outline its “playbook” for managing future variants and seeking international harmonisation of travel rules.
Heathrow is maintaining its forecast for the year at just over half of pre-pandemic levels, saying that strong outbound demand in Summer should offset a weaker start to the year.
The airport company has also set out its updated sustainability strategy – Heathrow 2.0: Connecting People and Planet with a set of plans to reduce fossil fuel carbon from aviation. The airport has committed to cut up to 15% of carbon from flights and reduce at least 45% of ground carbon emissions by 2030.
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: “After a tough Christmas, Omicron has continued to bite and this has been a weak start to the year. As short-lived as the additional travel restrictions were, they ruined the travel plans of more than 1.3 million passengers in the last two months.
“Today’s removal of restrictions for vaccinated passengers in and out of the UK offers a ray of hope, but the Omicron hangover proves demand remains fragile, and at risk to new variants of concern and government needs to set out a playbook for managing future variants that allows travel and trade to keep flowing.”
