Heathrow hit by Omicron cancellations in December

Airport traffic falls to a quarter of pre-pandemic levels

Heathrow airport has been hit by new uncertainty over the Omicron variant. Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images
Heathrow airport has been hit by new uncertainty over the Omicron variant. Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

Britain's biggest airport Heathrow handled 19.4 million passengers in 2021, less than one quarter of pre-pandemic levels and lower than 2020, after Omicron sparked a run of cancellations in December.

The airport to the west of London said on Tuesday that at least 600,000 passengers cancelled travel plans from Heathrow in December as new travel restrictions came into force. – Reuters

  • Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date

  • Sign up for push alerts to get the best breaking news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone

  • Listen to In The News podcast daily for a deep dive on the stories that matter