Aviation in for long-haul recovery as Omicron causes at least 600,000 passengers to cancel travel plans in December from Heathrow

 

• COVID-19 continues to pose significant challenges for the travel industry, with Heathrow welcoming only 19.4 million passengers in 2021 – less than one quarter of 2019 and below even 2020 levels
• At least 600,000 passengers cancelled travel plans from Heathrow in December due to Omicron and the uncertainty caused by swiftly imposed government travel restrictions
• There is significant doubt over the speed at which demand will recover. IATA forecasts suggest passenger numbers will not reach pre-pandemic levels until 2025, provided travel restrictions are removed at both ends of a route and passengers have confidence they will not return rapidly
• We are urging the UK government to remove all testing now for fully vaccinated passengers and to adopt a playbook for any future Variants of Concern that is more predictable, limits additional measures only to passengers from high-risk destinations and allows quarantine at home instead of in a hotel
• This creates enormous uncertainty for the CAA in setting a new five-year regulatory settlement. We believe that the focus should be on improving passenger service, aligning incentives for airlines and airports to work together to rebuild passenger demand and maintaining affordable private financing in uncertain times. This is a chance to safeguard a world-leading hub airport for Britain and avoid a return to the “Heathrow hassle” days of the early 2000s, undermining the UK’s global trading ambitions

Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: 

“There are currently travel restrictions, such as testing, on all Heathrow routes – the aviation industry will only fully recover when these are all lifted and there is no risk that they will be reimposed at short notice, a situation which is likely to be years away. While this creates enormous uncertainty for the CAA in setting a new 5 year regulatory settlement, it means the regulator must focus on an outcome that improves service, incentivises growth and maintains affordable private financing.” 

 

Traffic Summary
December 2021
Terminal Passengers (000s)	Dec 2021	% Change	Jan to Dec 2021	% Change	Jan 2021 to Dec 2021	% Change
Market
UK	226	173.6	1,768	21.1	1,768	21.1
EU	815	134.0	7,258	-9.9	7,258	-9.9
Non-EU Europe	212	161.9	1,537	-13.8	1,537	-13.8
Africa	167	55.2	1,040	-9.4	1,040	-9.4
North America	798	540.4	3,338	-13.6	3,338	-13.6
Latin America	116	172.1	413	-4.3	413	-4.3
Middle East	483	114.6	2,301	-6.6	2,301	-6.6
Asia / Pacific	304	131.3	1,739	-40.3	1,739	-40.3
Total	3,122	173.0	19,393	-12.3	19,393	-12.3
Air Transport Movements	Dec 2021	% Change	Jan to Dec 2021	% Change	Jan 2021 to Dec 2021	% Change
Market
UK	2,118	113.3	17,214	13.5	17,214	13.5
EU	9,792	173.1	72,559	-11.9	72,559	-11.9
Non-EU Europe	2,102	165.7	14,433	-14.7	14,433	-14.7
Africa	1,006	32.7	7,886	5.7	7,886	5.7
North America	4,559	99.6	34,773	0.2	34,773	0.2
Latin America	609	90.3	3,157	6.6	3,157	6.6
Middle East	2,003	33.4	17,044	2.5	17,044	2.5
Asia / Pacific	2,443	14.2	22,966	-6.9	22,966	-6.9
Total	24,632	99.1	190,032	-5.4	190,032	-5.4
Cargo (Metric Tonnes)	Dec 2021	% Change	Jan to Dec 2021	% Change	Jan 2021 to Dec 2021	% Change
Market
UK	10	109.5	220	-9.7	220	-9.7
EU	9,093	7.1	121,195	59.3	121,195	59.3
Non-EU Europe	5,151	-12.3	67,602	46.8	67,602	46.8
Africa	8,581	0.1	77,595	12.2	77,595	12.2
North America	45,616	44.3	481,733	24.6	481,733	24.6
Latin America	3,109	-5.9	23,490	-30.4	23,490	-30.4
Middle East	19,471	5.4	228,617	8.0	228,617	8.0
Asia / Pacific	36,157	11.1	402,461	25.7	402,461	25.7
Total	127,188	16.8	1,402,913	22.6	1,402,913	22.6

Tags: Omicron,Heathrow Airport