Gatwick Passenger Numbers Collapse by 14.7 Million Due to Coronavirus

Gatwick airport, Britain’s no.2 airport, has recently revealed that passenger numbers fell by 14.7 million, or two-thirds, in the first half of the year, as air travel collapsed due to the pandemic. Furthermore, they also reported a £344m loss as sales fell across its business.

Rising infections all over Europe and Britain’s quarantine rules on major holiday destinations such as France and Spain have definitely lowered hopes for a swift aviation recovery.

In the six months to the end of June, a tough period when most planes were not flying for months, Gatwick’s passenger numbers dropped by 66%, lowering revenues down 61% to 144 million pounds and resulting in a 321 million pound loss. Moreover, 75% of staff are currently on the government’s furlough scheme, which should end in October.

Earlier this week, they also stated that 600 jobs needed to be cut, in order to prepare for a smaller travel industry.

Gatwick officials said that those bad results were definitely a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, and its effects began during February, increasing significantly in March and causing a near-complete drop in volume during April, May and June 2020″. It is yet unknown how would the numbers look like for the following months, although there are small signs of recovery, it is a trend that is expected to continue.

Gatwick also said they had reduced costs by moving all its operations into only one terminal and held talks with its banks and bondholders regarding the impact of the crisis on its financial covenants.

Britain’s no.1 airport, Heathrow, posted a 1.1 billion pound loss for the first six months of the year. Furthermore, they have been leading a campaign to promote COVID-19 testing as an alternative to quarantine, in order to help encourage more travel, but the government has not changed its approach to this date.