The use of electronic passport scanners for youngsters under the age of 18 is being tested while the airport said that the peak period over the half-term break “has been going extremely well.”
Last month, the number of passengers at Britain’s main airport rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.
Heathrow stated that 5.4 million passengers traveled through the airport in January, making it the busiest start to the year since before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in 2020.
The vast majority of travelers came from the European Union (1,6 million), followed by those from North America (1,2 million).
Heathrow’s announcement shows that increased passenger numbers and strike action by Heathrow passport control personnel in late December and early January did not produce the type of travel disruptions witnessed by air travelers last summer.
According to the airport’s traffic announcement, customer satisfaction is currently at or above pre-pandemic levels. And last month 98% of travelers waited less than 10 minutes for security.
Border Force, the Home Office division responsible for frontline border control operations, “handled recent strike action satisfactorily,” according to the announcement.
The Public and Commercial Services union has announced further Border Force strike action (PCS). On March 15, 100 000 members will participate in a one-day walkout to coincide with the 2023 budget day.
Terminal 5 is testing electronic passport scanners on 10–11-year-olds this week during half-term. Currently, anyone over the age of 12 is permitted to use the gates.
The school holiday half-term peak season has been “doing well,” according to Heathrow.
Between February of last year and January of 2023, 64 million passengers utilized the airport.
After nearly three years of COVID-19 quarantine, China reopened to the world, raising these figures.
The airport’s top executive applauded unequivocally this action and the airlines’ answers.
John Holland-Kaye stated, “We welcome the news by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic to resume ticket sales to China, reopening a crucial market for British exports.”
Also announced last month was Mr. Holland-departure Kaye’s after nine years in the position.
