A traveler arrives at London’s Heathrow Airport.
Photographer: Simon Dawson / Bloomberg
Photographer: Simon Dawson / Bloomberg
London’s Heathrow airport lost its first place among European airports last year as restrictions on travel linked to the coronavirus pandemic have kept passengers at bay.
The 73% drop in Heathrow left the country behind the new hub in Istanbul, which attracted 23.4 million travelers in its first year of operation, and Paris Charles de Gaulle, which held second place.
All airports in Europe suffered, with 23 million passengers equivalent to a rating out of the top 30 in any normal year.
New order
London Heathrow lost its position as the busiest airport in Europe in 2020
Source: Company reports
An effort to replace country-specific entry curbs with pre-flight tests has been undone with the increase in more infectious strains of the virus. Britain’s quarantine policy and a variable list of exempt countries have also discouraged travel to London. The government hardened even more last week, disrupting flights from South America and extending self-isolation to all arrivals.
While most Western European airports – from Frankfurt to Amsterdam and Barcelona – saw traffic sink by 70% or more in the past year, Istanbul’s two largest hubs and Moscow’s Sheremetyevo hubs reported smaller declines, thus rising through the ranks. Traffic at Moscow’s two smaller airports has yet to be reported.
New national restrictions mean that travel will continue to be difficult for some time. Italy extended its state of emergency until April, while Austria’s blockade runs through February with Germany set to follow suit.
Starting on Monday, travelers arriving in France from outside the European Union will have to be tested before boarding, agree to isolate themselves for a week on arrival and then take another test.
– With the help of Tugce Ozsoy and Tara Patel
(Adds Paris CDG in the second paragraph)