United Kingdom: losing speed, Heathrow airport announces a second black year

Fewer than 20 million people passed through Britain's Heathrow airport, the only European hub to see a drop in traffic in 2021. Wikimedia Commons

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Britain's Heathrow Airport, in the suburbs of London, was the third busiest airport in Europe.

It has recorded colossal losses with the pandemic and is now tumbling to eighth place in the rankings.

The Heathrow director calls 2021 the worst year in the airport's history.

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With our correspondent in London

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Heathrow Airport hadn't seen so few passengers since 1972. Last year, less than 20 million people passed through the UK airport, the only European hub to see a drop in traffic in 2021 .

Management attributes these poor results to

, which are stricter and longer than in most other European countries, with the establishment of quarantine hotels and testing required on departure and arrival.

No return to normal before 2025

The cost of this fall in attendance: 1.8 billion pounds, just over 2 billion euros, despite the reduction in costs achieved during the pandemic.

Management is counting on a recovery in the summer with the return of holidays abroad.

Terminal 4, closed for two years, should reopen soon.

Heathrow expects 45 million passengers this year, half as many as before the pandemic. 

Director John Holland-Kaye does not expect a return to normal until 2025 at the earliest.

Until then, passengers should expect a 2% increase in ticket prices.

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• Coronavirus