United Kingdom: London Heathrow served 18 million passengers this summer, more than any other European hub.
Heathrow Airport announces the removal of the cap on 30 October – This would encourage demand into less busy periods, protecting the heavier peaks, and avoiding flight cancellations.
While demand is stronger, it is not fully recovered – The Airport forecast that total passenger numbers for 2022 will reach between 60 – 62 million, approximately 25% fewer than in 2019. Headwinds of a global economic crisis, war in Ukraine, and the impact of COVID-19 mean the passenger traffic is unlikely to return to pre-pandemic demand for a number of years, except at peak times.
The ICAO agreement on net zero international aviation by 2050 is a landmark in decarbonizing a sector perceived as “hard to abate” – It brings the global industry in line with UK aviation, which committed to this in 2020. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is the key technology to take fossil fuel carbon out of flying.
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said:
“We can be proud that everyone at Heathrow pulled together to serve consumers this summer – ensuring 18 million people got away on their journeys, more than any other airport in Europe, with the vast majority experiencing good service. We have lifted the summer cap and are working with airlines and their ground handlers to get back to full capacity at peak times as soon as possible. As we look to the future, we encourage the CAA to think again at stimulating the long-term investment that will deliver the smooth and predictable journeys consumer value most, rather than focusing on short-term pricing which we have seen only benefits airline profits.”
