U.K.’s Heathrow Airport bounces back to pre-pandemic passenger levels
Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest international airports based in the United Kingdom, has reportedly recorded a surge in passengers as the numbers return to the pre-pandemic level last month.
Heathrow recorded 5.4 million passengers in January, the busiest beginning to a year since 2020 when COVID-19 was declared as a pandemic.
Apparently, the huge majority of passengers, nearly 1.6 million, came from the EU, accompanied by 1.2 million from North America.
According to Heathrow’s statement, the increased passenger volume and passport check staff’s strike in late December and early January did not result in the same level of travel delay as last summer.
Based on the airport’s traffic announcement, 98% of travelers waited under 10 minutes for security the previous month, and overall passenger satisfaction is currently at or higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The announcement noted that the Border Force, the department within the Home Office in charge of primary border control activities, effectively managed the recent walkouts.
The Public and Commercial Services union has proposed additional Border Force strikes (PCS). On March 15, 2023, a one-day strike including 100,000 participants will take effect to correspond with the 2023 budget day.
Meanwhile, e-passport scanners are being tested for children aged 10 and 11 in Terminal 5 this week during half-term. Right now, anyone 12 years of age or older can utilize the gates.
Heathrow continued, the peak period during the school vacations and half-term has been doing really well.
64 million people passed through the airport between February of last year and January 2023.
These figures are probably going to increase now that China has reopened to the outside world after almost three years of COVID-19 lockdown.
The airport’s chief executive specifically praised such action and the airlines’ answers.
The resignation of Holland-Kaye after nine years in the position was also announced last month.
Source credit: https://news.sky.com/story/heathrow-airport-back-to-pre-pandemic-passenger-numbers-12809954
