Air traffic drops by 71% in UK

In 2021, the international air traffic fell by 71% in the UK against the background of the pandemic, the analytical company Cirium said, Report informs via Interfax.

The total number of international flights from British airports in 2021 was about 406,060 against 1,399,917 in 2019.

The number of domestic flights in the country fell by almost 60%.

Low-cost carrier Ryanair remained the UK's largest airline, having operated over 100,000 flights. Its competitor, EasyJet, operated more than 82,000 flights, according to Cirium.

The busiest international route was between London's Heathrow Airport and New York's JFK, though the US opened its borders to British tourists only in November. At the same time, the Americans got permission to visit the United Kingdom on July 28.

Short flights were the most popular; 8 out of 10 flights in Europe.

The prognosis for 2022 remains unpredictable due to the sharp increase in the coronavirus incidence in the UK after the emergence of the omicron strain. Uncertainty and the threat of new restrictions have already led to a rise in the number of canceled flights during the holiday period.