Airlines transiting London Heathrow asked to stop ticket sales

The airport is set to limit passenger traffic at only 100.000 departures per day. This measure will be on at least until September 11. The decision came as Heathrow currently struggles with huge lack of staff and a considerable increase in traffic demand following the pandemic period.

 

According to Heathrow’s CEO John Holland-Kaye, "over the past few weeks, as departing passenger numbers have regularly exceeded 100.000 a day, we have started to see periods when service drops to a level that is not acceptable", so a decision had to be made in the attempt to limit disruption, even if on a temporary basis. When compared to 2018, the daily number of passengers transiting Heathrow was nearly 220.000.

Passengers that have already booked their tickets will travel as planned, unless the airline will contact them with additional information. Customers aiming to reschedule or cancel their trips need to contact their flight provider for further guidance. Flight disruptions are also possible, so passengers are advised to maintain a flexible schedule. Tickets will be refunded if this scenario happens.

"The airport will still be busy. We ask you to bear with us if it takes a little longer to check in, go through security or collect your bag than you are used to at Heathrow. We ask passengers to help, by making sure they have completed all their Covid requirements online before they come to the airport, by not arriving earlier than three hours before their flight, by being ready for security with laptops out of bags and liquids, aerosols and gels in a sealed 100 ml plastic bag, and by using e-gates in immigration where eligible", Holland-Kaye added.

As multiple delays and last-minute flight cancellations have been a constant issue until now, Heathrow had also employed more staff, yet "new colleagues are learning fast but are not yet up to full speed", Holland-Kaye explained, so further chaos is still expected. Ground handlers, who "are contracted by airlines to provide check-in staff, load and unload bags and turnaround aircraft" are particularly understaffed.

Moreover, the airport’s air carrier partners have been asked to halt selling tickets for this summer season, while passengers are advised to seek alternative travel options for their holidays. Even so, the fares remain high and demand unexpectedly strong. As an alternative, passengers are recommended to use the other five other airports in London, or travel by rail or ferry.

Refering to the situation in the UK, Holland-Kaye concluded:

"Similar measures to control passenger demand have been implemented at other airports both in the UK and around the world. [...]

“Some airlines have taken significant action, but others have not, and we believe that further action is needed now to ensure passengers have a safe and reliable journey."

Heathrow is not the only hub in the world affected by frequent flight disruption; Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, Brussels, Frankfurt International and Eindhoven are other European airports experiencing daily delays and cancellations.

Source: edition.cnn.com