Government leaves the UK’s world class aviation sector out in the cold picture

Government leaves the UK’s world class aviation sector out in the cold

11 November, 2020

Government leaves the UK’s world class aviation sector out in the cold

 

  • Heathrow’s traffic down 82% YoY in October - the eighth consecutive month of catastrophic decline, with the current travel ban, November is likely to be even worse.
  • Long-haul and critical markets for trade suffered the worst declines due to the Government’s debilitating quarantine requirements. The airport’s overall cargo volumes were down 23% compared to last year. North America the UK’s biggest export market has been hardest hit by the downturn.
  • UK’s aviation industry is essential to the supply chain of temperature-sensitive, time-critical goods like vaccines - 41% of the UK’s pharmaceutical supplies are imported via Heathrow alone.
  • Heathrow is offering Oxford LAMP rapid COVID-19 tests to passengers travelling to other countries, but these are not yet approved for UK arrivals
  • The lack of a testing regime has left British airports unable to compete with EU rivals, the refusal to offer English and Welsh airports business rates relief runs the risk of worsening an already challenging situation and the plans to end VAT-free shopping threatens to kick our industry when its down.

Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye, said: “Aviation is the lifeblood of the UK’s economy, critical for exports of goods and services and imports of vaccines, as well as inbound tourism, students and foreign direct investment. Lack of Government action is weakening our sector, making it harder for us to support the eventual economic recovery and help deliver the Prime Minister’s vision of a global Britain.”

Traffic Summary

      
       

October 2020

     
       

Terminal Passengers
(000s)

Oct 2020

% Change

Jan to
Oct 2020

% Change

Nov 2019 to
Oct 2020

% Change

Market

 

 

 

 

 

 

UK

122

-71.9

1,320

-67.2

2,131

-55.3

EU

601

-75.2

7,463

-67.9

11,707

-57.3

Non-EU Europe

103

-78.5

1,635

-65.9

2,529

-55.7

Africa

69

-76.2

977

-66.5

1,572

-55.6

North America

91

-94.6

3,655

-77.0

6,625

-64.5

Latin America

20

-82.1

369

-68.0

597

-56.6

Middle East

113

-82.5

2,134

-66.6

3,490

-54.3

Asia / Pacific

127

-87.4

2,666

-72.4

4,498

-61.0

Blanks

-

0.0

1

0.0

1

0.0

Total

1,246

-82.4

20,220

-70.3

33,150

-58.9

       
       

Air Transport Movements

Oct 2020

% Change

Jan to
Oct 2020

% Change

Nov 2019 to
Oct 2020

% Change

Market

      

UK

1,525

-59.3

13,478

-60.1

20,416

-48.6

EU

8,624

-52.7

75,555

-57.3

108,091

-48.6

Non-EU Europe

1,383

-62.1

15,377

-57.9

22,423

-48.8

Africa

733

-42.0

6,104

-51.6

8,715

-43.1

North America

2,256

-68.9

30,064

-57.2

43,285

-48.0

Latin America

221

-56.5

2,396

-52.4

3,365

-44.5

Middle East

1,349

-49.5

13,840

-45.4

19,058

-37.3

Asia / Pacific

1,932

-53.9

20,228

-49.0

27,944

-41.4

Blanks

3

-

125

-

125

-

Total

18,026

-56.6

177,167

-55.7

253,422

-46.8

       
       

Cargo
(Metric Tonnes)

Oct 2020

% Change

Jan to
Oct 2020

% Change

Nov 2019 to
Oct 2020

% Change

Market

      

UK

10

-81.9

233

-51.9

334

-41.0

EU

8,717

-3.3

59,443

-25.4

74,119

-22.7

Non-EU Europe

5,706

15.4

33,961

-28.7

43,340

-24.3

Africa

7,543

-8.5

53,018

-32.1

68,269

-27.9

North America

33,776

-28.5

320,289

-32.0

414,123

-27.9

Latin America

3,553

-22.6

26,805

-41.3

35,486

-36.0

Middle East

19,924

-16.6

173,555

-19.4

217,346

-15.9

Asia / Pacific

29,253

-31.9

252,975

-35.5

327,762

-31.5

Blanks

-

0.0

-

0.0

-

0.0

Total

108,482

-23.0

920,280

-30.8

1,180,779

-26.9

       
       

Cargo (incl Charter & Positioning flights)
(Metric Tonnes)

Oct 2020

% Change

Jan to
Oct 2020

% Change

Nov 2019 to
Oct 2020

% Change

Market

      

UK

42

-29.7

455

-6.4

614

8.4

EU

8,717

-3.3

59,606

-25.2

74,282

-22.6

Non-EU Europe

5,706

15.4

34,097

-28.4

43,476

-24.1

Africa

7,543

-8.5

53,732

-31.2

68,983

-27.2

North America

33,796

-28.5

320,587

-32.0

414,421

-27.8

Latin America

3,554

-22.6

26,841

-41.2

35,522

-36.0

Middle East

19,932

-16.7

174,443

-19.0

218,234

-15.5

Asia / Pacific

29,306

-31.8

254,319

-35.1

329,105

-31.2

Blanks

53

-

2,408

-

2,408

-

Total

108,649

-22.9

926,487

-30.5

1,187,045

-26.6

       
       

Cargo (incl. Mail, Charter & Positioning flights)
(Metric Tonnes)

Oct 2020

% Change

Jan to
Oct 2020

% Change

Nov 2019 to
Oct 2020

% Change

Market

      

UK

43

-29.7

478

-30.8

640

-26.6

EU

9,449

-6.2

65,343

-26.9

82,449

-23.7

Non-EU Europe

6,235

14.1

38,135

-27.2

48,657

-23.0

Africa

7,587

-9.0

54,363

-31.4

69,774

-27.5

North America

35,975

-28.3

341,712

-31.2

442,568

-26.9

Latin America

3,570

-22.9

27,030

-41.3

35,806

-36.0

Middle East

20,806

-15.3

180,446

-18.2

225,956

-14.8

Asia / Pacific

30,508

-32.5

266,641

-35.5

346,629

-31.4

Blanks

-

0.0

-

0.0

-

0.0

Total

114,172

-23.1

974,148

-30.3

1,252,479

-26.3