Heathrow announces busiest month since March 2020 as travel recovery begins – Business Live | Action

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Good morning, and welcome to our renewed coverage of the global economy, financial markets, the eurozone and business.

UK travel has begun to recover, according to Heathrow Airport, which reported its busiest month since the pandemic began – although ‘travel barriers’ remain.

More than 1.5 million passengers passed through its terminals in July – 75% more than the previous year, after travel restrictions were eased.

But… that’s still 80% less than in July 2019 – when 7.75 million customers traveled through Heathrow in a normally busy summer month before the pandemic.

Heathrow Airport says the ‘long road to recovery’ has begun:

The relaxation in the rules has provided a much-needed boost to the UK travel industry, and has enabled people across Britain to look forward to a more natural summer reunion with family and friends abroad.

Passenger numbers in North America grew nearly 230% year-over-year, with New York’s JFK reclaiming the top spot as the most popular route at Heathrow.

David Edwards (@ScattClouds)

July was Heathrow’s busiest month since March 2020 with 1.5 million passengers, up 74% from last year, but for a more reliable comparison, traffic remained down 81% in July 2019. The proportion of passengers on a flight increased Internal from 6% in July 2019 to 11% in July. pic.twitter.com/iNVaoK2gqZ

August 11, 2021 Photo: Heathrow Airport

And after a particularly difficult pandemic, the UK’s largest airport is warning that it faces a ‘long road to recovery’ – citing the cost of Covid-19 tests, and the effective ban on UK passengers visiting the US.

Reuters UK (ReutersUK)

Travel recovery has begun, Britain’s Heathrow Airport says https://t.co/aMUb83ePo6 pic.twitter.com/95RJ0nAkGy

August 11, 2021

Since the beginning of August, fully vaccinated travelers from the US and EU have been allowed to visit England without the need for isolation. Heathrow is urging the United States to do the same, lifting its restrictions on travelers who have received full vaccinations from the United Kingdom.

As fully vaccinated US visitors are now able to travel to the UK without the need for quarantine, the UK-US joint task force should take advantage of the UK’s world-leading vaccine launch and reach a mutual agreement for vaccinated British travelers fully.

The airport is also pushing the government to lower the cost of Covid-19 tests – saying other European countries have lowered or subsidized their prices.

Heathrow argues that cheaper lateral flow tests should be used in lower-risk destinations – to avoid travel becoming the preserve of the wealthy.

Emma Gilthorpe, Director of Operations at Heathrow Airport says:

“Finally, some blue skies loom, as travel and trade routes slowly reopen. Although the task is far from complete. The government must now capitalize on the vaccine yield and seize the opportunity to replace expensive PCR tests with affordable side-flow tests.”

This will ensure travel remains possible for hard-working Britons, who are desperate for good holidays and keen to be reunited with loved ones before the summer travel window closes.”

The UK competition watchdog is also looking into the issue of Covid-19 testing fees, following concerns about the very different rates being charged.

On Sunday, my colleague Sarah Butler explained that:

Similar tests for the second and eighth day after returning to England listed on the government’s website can cost more than £300 or as little as £20. On average, prices in the UK are £75, compared to around £40 in France and Greece.

Health Minister Sajid Javid wrote to the Competition and Markets Authority last Friday asking the authority to help crack down on “exploitative behavior” and “unfair practices” among the more than 400 companies providing the tests, and said the government was determined to take action.

As the day comes

The future of British inhaler company Vectura hangs in the balance, after Carlyle’s private equity bid backed out of a bidding war with tobacco company Philip Morris International.

PMI now has until 5pm on Thursday to improve its (already higher) bid, while Vectura’s board must now decide which bid to support.

In a statement to the city this morning, the Vectura board said they will “make another announcement” once the deadline is up, or sooner if PMI declares its offer final.

Markets are also preparing for the latest US inflation data, which will show whether prices have continued to rise last month. The US CPI is expected to decline to 5.3% on an annual basis, from a 13-year high of 5.4% in June.

Agenda 9am GMT: China Money Supply and Loan Data for July 9:30am GMT: UK Manufacturers Sales by Product: 2020, released by the Office for National Statistics at noon GMT: Weekly US mortgage approvals. 1.30pm GMT: US inflation data for July
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