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East Midlands Airport is anticipating one of its busiest weekends as travel restrictions are lifting.
The airport will likely welcome more than 24,000 passengers this coming weekend – its busiest since the pandemic.
The lifting of travel restrictions and no need for a day two PCR test from October 24 onwards, coupled with further schools breaking up for half-term, means that passenger numbers have increased to around 50 percent.
Passenger numbers were at 30 percent during most of the summer period.
Ryanair have also announced they are putting seats on sale from January 2022 onwards which gives passengers more choice as they start to plan their travel arrangements in the months to come.
Concerns had originally raised after potential customers found they could only book flights with the airline for destinations including Ireland, Spain and the Canary Islands up until Christmas 2021.
The airport has been in talks with Ryanair over renewing a contract with the airline.
Approximately 27,400 passengers are expected at the airport between Friday, October 22, and Sunday, October 24.
Passenger numbers this summer have not exceeded a third of what they were pre-pandemic, after flights resumed from EMA in May following lockdown at the start of this year.
During significant periods of the last year-and-a-half, EMA’s passenger terminal was closed as bans on non-essential international travel took effect.
A lack of consumer confidence, uncertainty about the traffic light system, and the costs and hassle of tests have meant many people put off an overseas holiday this year.
Airport bosses are hopeful that next year people who haven’t travelled abroad since 2019 will be keen to do so again.
Clare James, East Midlands Airport’s Managing Director, said: “I’ve been in this role for 15 months and I am only just starting to see the passenger operation come to life.
“It’s been such an unsettled time for everyone involved with this airport.
“Our full recovery will be gradual but if things continue as they are I’m hopeful that, come the dark long days of January when the Christmas and New Year festivities are over, people’s attention will turn to sun, sea and sangria and booking overseas breaks next year.”
The knock-on effect of people saving money from not going on holiday, and spending more time at home, has resulted in a surge in internet shopping. This, combined with fewer long-haul passenger flights, particularly transatlantic, which would have carried goods as well as suitcases, has meant that the express air freight operators based at EMA have been busier than ever.
In the coming winter months in the run up to Black Friday and Christmas, the likes of DHL, UPS, FedEx and Royal Mail will work to ensure presents, household gifts and other items reach consumers in time.
The EMA cargo operation has also thrown a lifeline to regional businesses that rely on imports and exports.
In the early days of the pandemic, much critical PPE and hospital equipment, some of which was manufactured in this region, was flown around the world to hospitals that needed it most urgently.
EMA is already seeing a 10 percent increase in the volume of goods compared with 2020, so records are likely to be broken again this winter.
Ms James added: “As the pandemic eases, I can look a bit further ahead and begin thinking more strategically about how this airport continues to provide an invaluable service to all customers. There are big opportunities around the corner.
“When the East Midlands Freeport bid gets through the next phase of approvals, EMA will be the ‘port’ to the UK’s only inland Freeport.
“I can also start to give more thought to our role within the region and how we can best support the work that is happening to shape a new identity for the East Midlands.
“I’m also considering what sustainable aviation will look like and what measures we need to take now to ensure we hit our goal of emitting zero carbon emissions by 2038.
“Changes to technology and people’s expectations will drive significant change within aviation. We need to be ready. The future is not without its challenges, but there’s much to look forward to.”
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