According to the airport’s chief executive, Heathrow Airport is beginning to recover from the travel chaos of recent months.
Air travelers across the UK have faced months of disruption, with flights delayed and cancelled, along with long wait times at check-in, security and baggage claim.
The main cause of the problems is the lack of staff.
Many jobs have been lost in the aviation industry during the worst of the pandemic, and now there is a race to recruit enough workers – train them and clear them through security – to meet travel demand. summer calendar.
Heathrow was one of the hardest hit.
In an update on Thursday, chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: “Passengers are seeing better, more reliable trips since the introduction of the demand cap.
“I’d like to thank all of my colleagues across the airport for their amazing work in getting people on vacation during their vacation.
“This has only been possible through the collective efforts and determination of airports, airlines and the broader Team Heathrow teams.”
In July – and on top of the UK amnesty government allows airlines to cancel flights without fear of losing precious take-off and landing space – imposed by Heathrow Limited number of departing passengers to enhance recovery.
It also asks airlines to stop selling tickets for summer travel, an appeal met with criticism from some quartersincluding former boss of BA IAG owner Willie Walsh, who is now head of the International Air Transport Association.
Passengers have had to wait in long lines this summer
There was a problem with baggage handling. Photo: Deborah Haynes
Heathrow said Thursday that the number limit has “brought improvements to the passenger experience, with fewer last-minute cancellations, more on-time planes and better baggage deliveries.”
It experienced the largest increase in passenger numbers of any European airport in the last year – more than six million people passed through Heathrow in July and an estimated 16 million are expected from May. Seven to September.
The airport said an assessment is underway of ground handling capacity, an additional 1,300 workers have been hired and security has returned to pre-pandemic levels, meaning 88% of passengers can be cleared. in 20 minutes or less, the airport said.
Last month, an analysis by Oxford Economics, in conjunction with aviation trade bodies, found that 2.3 million jobs had been lost across airlines, airports and civil aerospace groups since then. since the outbreak of COVID-19.
