The number of passengers passing through Heathrow's terminals in April plunged 97% as coronavirus-induced travel bans hit the airport.
Europe’s busiest airport said it supported essential travel for just 200,000 people last month – the same number it would typically serve in just one day.
It added that a total of 1,788 cargo only flights operated from Heathrow in April, helping to bring in critical supplies of PPE. The busiest day was April 30, with 95 dedicated cargo movements - 14 times the usual daily average pre-Covid. However, cargo volumes were down over 60%.
Heathrow said it supports the Government’s aim of avoiding a second wave of infection, but it said the rumoured 14-day quarantine plan “will effectively close borders temporarily... It is likely that few passenger flights will operate and even less people will travel until the quarantine is lifted”.
Heathrow’s chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: “Aviation is the lifeblood of this country’s economy, and until we get Britain flying again, UK business will be stuck in third gear."
He added: "The Government needs to urgently lay out a roadmap for how they will reopen borders once the disease has been beaten, and to take an immediate lead in agreeing a Common International Standard for health in aviation that will allow passengers who don’t have the infection to travel freely.”
