Heathrow Airport Ends Outgoing Passenger Cap

Heathrow Airport has lifted its passenger cap but has warned that it may return at busy times around Christmas.

Since July, the London airport has limited the number of outgoing passengers to 100,000 per day. The cap was introduced to cope with staffing shortages, which saw the airport plagued by long lines and frequent cancellations over the summer. However, the facility is now in a position to remove this cap.

It was initially scheduled to end on 11 September 2022 and was finally lifted on 30 October 2022.

Heathrow expects its annual traveller tally to hit 62 million people by the end of the year. However, this is still 25 percent fewer people than travelled through the airport in 2019.

Heathrow cites “headwinds of a global economic crisis, the war in Ukraine, and the impact of COVID-19” as reasons why it won't yet be returning to pre-pandemic demand.

Possibility of Passenger Cap During The Holidays

From the airport’s statement, it seems that a passenger cap will be targeted on specific days. This will cause more minimal disruption than the generalised capacity limit that was put in place over the summer.

Heathrow has indicated it will “work with airlines” to minimise the impact on passengers.

The busiest travel day ahead of Christmas is usually around 22 December.

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