Heathrow sees lowest passenger traffic in 49 years in 2021

Passenger traffic at Heathrow Airport in 2021 amounted to 19.4 million people, which was the lowest figure since 1972, the press service of the airport said in a statement.

Report informs, citing TASS, that, compared with the previous year, the passenger traffic of the largest British airport decreased by 12.3%. Heathrow stressed that the drop in rates was recorded due to the strict rules for entering the UK due to the pandemic: foreigners arriving in the UK had to take a PCR test before traveling to the country, two more tests upon arrival, and also observe the self-isolation mode.

John Holland-Kay, chief executive officer of the airport, said that Heathrow's passenger traffic should reach about 45 million people by the end of this year. At the same time, he noted with regret that the current occupancy rates of the airport in January and February were 23% lower than expected.

Heathrow ceased to be the most popular air harbor in Europe and dropped to tenth place in the list of the busiest European airports. In this rating, the London airport gave way to Amsterdam Schiphol, the airports of Antalya, Athens, Barcelona, Madrid, Mallorca, Istanbul, and Frankfurt, as well as the Parisian Roissy - Charles de Gaulle.