UK airports saw fewest passengers last summer since 1975 : CityAM

Airports saw the lowest number of passengers pass through their gates last summer since 1975, new figures from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) show.

Just 14.2m people travelled through UK airports last year from July to September, while across the whole year there were just 73.8m air passengers.

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The majority of these – two-thirds – came in the first three months of the year, before travel restrictions were imposed across the world.

The last time passenger numbers were so low across the whole year was 1985, when just over 70m people passed through UK airports.

The figures were released a year on from Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s pledge to provide a “support package specifically for airlines and airports”.

But up to this point, said Karen Dee, chief executive of the Airport Operators’ Association, no such support has been forthcoming.

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“The Chancellor’s failure to deliver on his promise has resulted in UK airports facing huge losses and trailing behind international competitors, who did receive significant support from their governments. For example, German airports received €820m of airport-specific support only last month”, she said.

“Yet despite dealing with the biggest crisis in their history, most airports remain operational to support vital public services, such as Royal Mail, air ambulances, Coastguard and the National Police Air Service, as well as other critical services such as freight, including PPE and vaccines.”

UK airports have been able to make use of economy-wide schemes like furlough to help stave off economic disaster.

In Scotland and Northern Ireland, moreover, airports have had their business rates waived. In England and Wales, however, the government has instead opted for a scheme that allows them to reduce their business rates bills by £12m.

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Dee said that it was vital that the government could guarantee a “safe and successful summer” if some airports were to remain “viable”.

A taskforce will report recommendations for the safe restart of international travel on 12 April, with plans to kick off the reopening on 17 May.