UK flights still one-sixth down on 2019, while holding top spot in Europe

‘Fewer seats on sale, airport caps and staff shortages are hurting the sector at a time when demand to fly is strong’ – consultant Paul Charles

Going places: Ryanair Boeing 737 at Athens airport. Greece is the only major European country with more flights this summer compared with 2019 (Simon Calder)

The number of flights to and from the UK is one-sixth lower this year than in peak summer 2019, according to the latest figures from Eurocontrol.

British Airways and easyJet have cancelled many thousands of departures over the summer, while Heathrow and Gatwick have imposed limits on operations.

The cuts in planned capacity are reducing options and increasing fares.

Between 17 and 23 August, flights to and from British airports averaged 5,537 per day — 16 per cent down on the corresponding week in 2019.

There was no change on the previous week, suggesting the pattern for the summer looks set.

During the Covid-19 crisis, flights to and from the UK slumped more than any other major European nation as a result of British travel restrictions. But the UK is now back at the top of the league, ahead of Spain, Germany, France and Italy.

Only Germany is experiencing a deeper fall in flights: down 19 per cent on the same period in 2019. France has lost 13 per cent of flights compared with three years ago. The Netherlands also shows a double-digit loss, 12 per cent lower.

Amsterdam airport has limited the number of flights and passengers as it struggles with resourcing.

Paul Charles, chief executive of the travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: “It’s astonishing to see the aviation industry going backwards when it should be growing strongly after the pandemic.

“Fewer seats on sale, airport caps and staff shortages are hurting the sector at a time when demand to fly is strong.

“Our aviation sector should be bouncing back ahead of one of the busiest weekends of the year, and not held back by poor planning by airports and ground handlers.

“There are aircraft ready to be used but not enough people to get them prepared and off the ground. This sad spiral needs to be dealt with quickly.”

Only one country shows an increase in flight volume compared with before the pandemic: Greece, which is 7 per cent up in August.

Average daily arriving and departing flights, 17-23 August

Also shows percentage decline/increase compared with the same week in 2019

1. UK 5,537, down 16
2. Spain 5,168, down 6
3. Germany 4,941, down 19
4. France 4,316, down 13
5. Italy 3,948, down 8
6. Turkey 3,555, down 2
7. Greece 2,372, up 7
8. Netherlands 1,599, down 12
9. Norway 1,427, down 7
10. Portugal 1,326, down 1

Source: Eurocontrol