Heathrow said on Monday it would continue to limit the number of departing passengers at the airport to 100,000 a day until 29 October, in an effort to ease the disruptions at the airport that have ruined summer travel in Europe. was expanded.
The airport imposed the cap in July, citing a shortage of staff that led to flight cancellations, long lines and lost luggage. Restrictions may be lifted early if operations improve. statement.
Heathrow said in a statement that the cap has resulted in fewer cancellations, shorter wait times and improved punctuality. “By improving the balance between passenger demand and available resources, we can operate a safe airport ecosystem that prioritizes passenger needs.” statement read.
According to data from flight tracking company FlightAware, an average of 40% of flights were delayed and 2.7% were canceled in the four weeks before the cap. In the four weeks since the cap was imposed, his average rate of delays has dropped to about 32%, and his average rate of cancellations has dropped to 1.3%, although the rates have not dropped consistently week-to-week. .
Flightaware spokeswoman Kathleen Bangs said the extension of the capacity limit isn’t surprising because Heathrow doesn’t have enough workers to keep operations going. It’s the hourly workers who can make it happen,” she said.
Travel was chaotic earlier this summer as high demand from passengers collided with staffing shortages. This led to lost luggage, canceled flights, and long lines. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, introduced a cap In June, the capacity limit for departing passengers was also increased Until October.
Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst for Atmosphere Research, said capacity limits are causing “all sorts of problems” for summer travelers. “Maybe some routes are down, but travelers otherwise have no choice of flights,” he said.
“We hope to have the seat caps finished by October,” he added. “I think the sooner it ends, the better for everyone: the airlines, the airport itself, and of course the traveler.”
