Heathrow Airport warns of more job losses from border restrictions

The boss of Heathrow Airport said on Thursday that more jobs could be lost in aviation if the government doesn’t provide more support to the industry and begin to outline how it will lift COVID-19 restrictions.

“Unless we see some recovery plan from the government and some support for the aviation sector financially then I’m afraid that more jobs are at risk,” Heathrow’s chief executive John Holland-Kaye told Sky News.

He said that between 15,000 and 25,000 jobs had been lost across the airport over the last 11 months. 

Heathrow Airport, Britain’s busiest, said passenger numbers plunged 89% in January compared to the same month last year, and cargo volume fell 21%, as the aviation industry suffers in Britain’s latest lockdown and from tighter border controls.

“We need to see the flight plan for the safe restart of international travel as part of the prime minister’s roadmap on 22 February,” Heathrow’s chief executive John Holland-Kaye said on Thursday. 

Main Photo: A plane passes a sign as it comes into land at Heathrow Airport in Hounslow, Britain. EPA-EFE/NEIL HALL