Heathrow Airport executives have stated that it will take years for the airport to carry as many people as it did prior to the pandemic.
This year, it’s anticipated that between 60 million and 62 million people would use the biggest airport in the UK.
It is a quarter less than in 2019, the year before to the economic impact of Covid-19.
After two years of lockdowns, airports and airlines had significant issues this summer as they reopened.
The companies were obliged to use unconventional steps as a result of cancelled flights and long lines. Only 100,000 passengers would be accepted daily, according to Heathrow.
On October 31, the passenger cap will be lifted, but the airport won’t be able to return to its previous levels then.
“Headwinds of a global economic crisis, war in Ukraine and the impact of Covid-19 mean we are unlikely to return to pre-pandemic demand for a number of years, except at peak times,” the business said.
There was, however, some good news for the company. The company was able to turn around a significant £1.4 billion loss in the first three quarters of last year to make a £643 million profit this year.
In the same time frame, revenue increased by 200% to £2.1 billion.
Heathrow claimed that in order for its systems to handle demand at peak periods, they must be rebuilt. It will need hiring 25,000 more employees, which will be “a huge logistical challenge.”
There are also indications that the number of passengers is increasing. In September, 5.8 million passengers chose the airport, just 15% below 2019 levels and the highest since the start of the pandemic. Chief executive 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.”