Gatwick unveils plans for permanent second runway despite Covid hit August 25, 2021 Gatwick Airport has today unveiled its full plans to add a second permanent runway despite the current shortage of passenger numbers due to the coronavirus pandemic. Under the scheme, which was first announced back in 2018, the Crawley airport’s northern runway, which is currently used in emergencies and as a taxiway, will be modified for [...]
Gatwick calls for simpler travel rules after fresh £250m loss August 13, 2021 Gatwick Airport this morning called on the government to simplify its existing travel rules as it nursed a £244.6m loss for the first half of 2021. Just 569,000 people used the Crawley airport in the first six months of the year, despite the gradual easing of travel restrictions. With 75 per cent of British adults [...]
Face mask mandate to stay for airports and flights July 16, 2021 Travellers will still be required to wear face masks after English legal restrictions ease, UK airports and airlines said in a joint statement today. Passengers who refuse to wear a mask will be denied boarding for both domestic and international flights. Children and those with medical reasons preventing them from wearing a mask will continue [...]
Lufthansa aiming for 60-70 per cent passenger capacity by the end of the year July 14, 2021 Lufthansa, the German airline giant, has said that it is aiming for around 60-70 per cent of pre-pandemic passenger numbers by the end of the year. It is currently operating at around 40 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. Jens Fehlinger, a manager at Lufthansa, suggested that things are beginning to look up for the airline [...]
Unemployment claims in London airport communities rise at double the national rate March 1, 2021 The number of people claiming unemployment benefits rose at double the national rate in communities around London’s biggest airports in 2020. The coronavirus pandemic has decimated the travel industry, leading to airlines and airports slashing thousands of jobs to stay afloat. In Hayes and Harlington, Heathrow’s local constituency, the number of people claiming benefits rose [...]
Gatwick crashes to £465.5m loss as passenger numbers collapse February 26, 2021 Gatwick Airport plunged to a £465.5m loss in 2020 as global air traffic and passenger numbers collapsed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While the airport remained open throughout the pandemic, passenger numbers plunged 78 per cent as lockdowns and travel restrictions took their toll. Gatwick said all revenue streams were impacted and posted a loss [...]
Hotel quarantine scheme lifts off as first guests arrive in UK February 15, 2021 England’s hotel quarantine scheme kicked off today as the first passengers touched down at airports around the country for the toughest border protection measures of the pandemic so far. Four coaches of passengers dropped off passengers at the Radisson Blue Edwardian Hotel near Heathrow Airport this morning to start their 10-day stay, as the government [...]
Hotel quarantine: What do the new rules mean for arrivals travelling to London? February 11, 2021 Hotel quarantine: What do the new rules mean for arrivals travelling to the UK border?
Covid-19: Hotel quarantine policy for UK arrivals will begin on 15 February February 4, 2021 The long-delayed hotel quarantine policy for all UK arrivals from 33 'red list' countries is set to begin on 15 February
Gatwick Airport borrows extra £75m from government due to pandemic January 24, 2021 Gatwick Airport has borrowed an extra £75m from the government to bolster its finances due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic on the travel sector. The airport has reportedly borrowed £250m so far under the Covid Corporate Financing Scheme, after being forced to keep applying for new funds due to lockdowns and restrictions on [...]