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- Heathrow’s busiest month since March 2020, with 1.5m passengers
- Urges US to lift restrictions on UK passengers
- Also pushes for cheaper Covid tests
Heathrow also flagged up that U.S. carrier JetBlue starts flying a new route between New York’s JFK airport and London this week.
Heathrow says the move will ‘further increase its transatlantic offering’, despite the presidential proclamation that currently bans non-Americans from visiting the US from the UK, and the European Union.
“We are hopeful over the next two or three months, as we get on the right side of the Delta variant increases we have seen, we can revisit that and we can welcome Brits and Europeans to the States again.
The carrier is using a narrow-bodied Airbus A321 on the route and aims to lure business passengers from American Airlines, British Airways, Delta and Virgin Atlantic.
Heathrow, formerly the busiest airport in Europe, has had its best (or least bad) month since March 2020.
The hub is still 80% down on pre-pandemic passenger numbers and 17th busiest in Europe. Yet compared with other UK airports, Heathrow is doing well.https://t.co/1Ytkloqeju
Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of the world economy, the financial markets, the eurozone and business.
The UK’s travel recovery has begun, according to Heathrow Airport, which has reported its busiest month since the pandemic began — despite ‘barriers to travel’ remaining.
The relaxation in rules has provided a much-needed boost to the UK travel industry, and enabled people across Britain to look forward to a more normal summer reuniting with family and friends abroad.
July was Heathrow’s busiest month since March 2020 with 1.5 million passengers, up 74% on a year ago, but for a more reliable comparison traffic remained 81% down on July 2019. The proportion of passengers on a domestic flight has increased from 6% in July 2019 to 11% this July. pic.twitter.com/iNVaoK2gqZ
The travel recovery has started, Britain’s Heathrow Airport says https://t.co/aMUb83ePo6 pic.twitter.com/95RJ0nAkGy
With fully vaccinated US visitors now able to travel to the UK without the need to quarantine, the joint UK/US travel taskforce must capitalise on the UK’s world-leading vaccine rollout and reach a reciprocal agreement for fully vaccinated UK travellers.
“Finally, some blue skies are on the horizon, as travel and trade routes slowly reopen. The job though is far from complete. Government must now capitalise on the vaccine dividend and seize the opportunity to replace expensive PCR tests with more affordable lateral flow tests.
This will ensure travel remains attainable for hardworking Brits, desperate for well-earned getaways and keen to reunite with loved ones before the summer travel window closes.”
Similar tests for day 2 and 8 after return to England listed on the government’s website can cost more than £300 or as little as £20. On average, prices in the UK are £75, compared with about £40 in France and Greece.
Health secretary Sajid Javid wrote to the Competition and Markets Authority last Friday asking the body to help stamp out “exploitative behaviour” and “unfair practices” among the 400-plus firms which offer the tests and he said the government was determined to take action.
Related: UK competition watchdog to look into pricing of Covid tests for travel
