Heathrow CEO: UK government leaves aviation sector out in the cold

Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye, said: “Aviation is the lifeblood of the UK’s economy, critical for exports of goods and services and imports of vaccines, as well as inbound tourism, students and foreign direct investment. Lack of Government action is weakening our sector, making it harder for us to support the eventual economic recovery and help deliver the Prime Minister’s vision of a global Britain.”

  • Heathrow’s traffic down 82% YoY in October – the eighth consecutive month of catastrophic decline, with the current travel ban, November is likely to be even worse.
  • Long-haul and critical markets for trade suffered the worst declines due to the Government’s debilitating quarantine requirements. The airport’s overall cargo volumes were down 23% compared to last year. North America the UK’s biggest export market has been hardest hit by the downturn.
  • UK’s aviation industry is essential to the supply chain of temperature-sensitive, time-critical goods like vaccines – 41% of the UK’s pharmaceutical supplies are imported via Heathrow alone.
  • Heathrow is offering Oxford LAMP rapid COVID-19 tests to passengers travelling to other countries, but these are not yet approved for UK arrivals
  • The lack of a testing regime has left British airports unable to compete with EU rivals, the refusal to offer English and Welsh airports business rates relief runs the risk of worsening an already challenging situation and the plans to end VAT-free shopping threatens to kick our industry when its down.
Traffic Summary            
             
October 2020          
             
Terminal Passengers
(000s)
Oct 2020 % Change Jan to
Oct 2020
% Change Nov 2019 to
Oct 2020
% Change
Market            
UK 122 -71.9 1,320 -67.2 2,131 -55.3
EU 601 -75.2 7,463 -67.9 11,707 -57.3
Non-EU Europe 103 -78.5 1,635 -65.9 2,529 -55.7
Africa 69 -76.2 977 -66.5 1,572 -55.6
North America 91 -94.6 3,655 -77.0 6,625 -64.5
Latin America 20 -82.1 369 -68.0 597 -56.6
Middle East 113 -82.5 2,134 -66.6 3,490 -54.3
Asia / Pacific 127 -87.4 2,666 -72.4 4,498 -61.0
Blanks 0.0 1 0.0 1 0.0
Total 1,246 -82.4 20,220 -70.3 33,150 -58.9
             
             
Air Transport Movements Oct 2020 % Change Jan to
Oct 2020
% Change Nov 2019 to
Oct 2020
% Change
Market            
UK 1,525 -59.3 13,478 -60.1 20,416 -48.6
EU 8,624 -52.7 75,555 -57.3 108,091 -48.6
Non-EU Europe 1,383 -62.1 15,377 -57.9 22,423 -48.8
Africa 733 -42.0 6,104 -51.6 8,715 -43.1
North America 2,256 -68.9 30,064 -57.2 43,285 -48.0
Latin America 221 -56.5 2,396 -52.4 3,365 -44.5
Middle East 1,349 -49.5 13,840 -45.4 19,058 -37.3
Asia / Pacific 1,932 -53.9 20,228 -49.0 27,944 -41.4
Blanks 3 125 125
Total 18,026 -56.6 177,167 -55.7 253,422 -46.8
             
             
Cargo
(Metric Tonnes)
Oct 2020 % Change Jan to
Oct 2020
% Change Nov 2019 to
Oct 2020
% Change
Market            
UK 10 -81.9 233 -51.9 334 -41.0
EU 8,717 -3.3 59,443 -25.4 74,119 -22.7
Non-EU Europe 5,706 15.4 33,961 -28.7 43,340 -24.3
Africa 7,543 -8.5 53,018 -32.1 68,269 -27.9
North America 33,776 -28.5 320,289 -32.0 414,123 -27.9
Latin America 3,553 -22.6 26,805 -41.3 35,486 -36.0
Middle East 19,924 -16.6 173,555 -19.4 217,346 -15.9
Asia / Pacific 29,253 -31.9 252,975 -35.5 327,762 -31.5
Blanks 0.0 0.0 0.0
Total 108,482 -23.0 920,280 -30.8 1,180,779 -26.9
             
             
Cargo (incl Charter & Positioning flights)
(Metric Tonnes)
Oct 2020 % Change Jan to
Oct 2020
% Change Nov 2019 to
Oct 2020
% Change
Market            
UK 42 -29.7 455 -6.4 614 8.4
EU 8,717 -3.3 59,606 -25.2 74,282 -22.6
Non-EU Europe 5,706 15.4 34,097 -28.4 43,476 -24.1
Africa 7,543 -8.5 53,732 -31.2 68,983 -27.2
North America 33,796 -28.5 320,587 -32.0 414,421 -27.8
Latin America 3,554 -22.6 26,841 -41.2 35,522 -36.0
Middle East 19,932 -16.7 174,443 -19.0 218,234 -15.5
Asia / Pacific 29,306 -31.8 254,319 -35.1 329,105 -31.2
Blanks 53 2,408 2,408
Total 108,649 -22.9 926,487 -30.5 1,187,045 -26.6
             
             
Cargo (incl. Mail, Charter & Positioning flights)
(Metric Tonnes)
Oct 2020 % Change Jan to
Oct 2020
% Change Nov 2019 to
Oct 2020
% Change
Market            
UK 43 -29.7 478 -30.8 640 -26.6
EU 9,449 -6.2 65,343 -26.9 82,449 -23.7
Non-EU Europe 6,235 14.1 38,135 -27.2 48,657 -23.0
Africa 7,587 -9.0 54,363 -31.4 69,774 -27.5
North America 35,975 -28.3 341,712 -31.2 442,568 -26.9
Latin America 3,570 -22.9 27,030 -41.3 35,806 -36.0
Middle East 20,806 -15.3 180,446 -18.2 225,956 -14.8
Asia / Pacific 30,508 -32.5 266,641 -35.5 346,629 -31.4
Blanks 0.0 0.0 0.0
Total 114,172 -23.1 974,148 -30.3 1,252,479 -26.3

eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online