LONDON — Heathrow Airport said Tuesday it will limit passenger numbers until mid-September, citing staff shortages that have led to long lines, delays, lost luggage and last-minute flight cancellations.
In an open letter to passengers, Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye called on airlines to stop selling new tickets as the airport’s critical functions are severely curtailed.
“We understand that this will mean that some summer journeys will either be moved to another day, another airport or cancelled, and we apologize to those whose travel plans are affected,” he said. There were periods in recent weeks when the service dropped to a level that was “unacceptable”, he said.
Mr Holland-Kay said the airport could handle no more than 100,000 departures each day, just short of the 104,000 he estimated it would be expected to handle on average. He asked airlines to limit the number of tickets they sell to bring the number back below the 100,000 ceiling.
Asked how Heathrow would enforce the capacity limit, airport spokeswoman Hannah Smith said it would be managed by an independent coordinator, Airport Coordination Limited. “Airlines have the discretion to apply the restrictions to their individual schedules,” she said.
One of Britain’s biggest carriers, Virgin Atlantic, said in a statement that it is ready to deliver its full schedule this summer.
“However, we support proactive measures taken by Heathrow to reduce disruption as long as the proposed actions do not disproportionately affect the airport’s domestic carriers,” the airline said. “Action must be based on in-depth analysis showing the most effective measures to improve the situation and keep customers moving.”
Summer travel in Europe has been marred by chaos at airports as airlines struggle to cope with rising numbers of passengers eager to travel following pandemic lockdowns and staff shortages. Last week, Scandinavian airline SAS filed for bankruptcy protection after its pilots went on strike. There have also been walkouts by airport and airline workers across Europe, amid frustration over long hours and low pay that has failed to keep up with rising inflation.
Other airports have introduced similar measures. Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport last month introduced capacity restrictions, citing a shortage of security staff and demand for air travel far exceeding expectations, and London’s Gatwick Airport last month also said it would cut flights for July and August. British Airways said it will operate a reduced schedule by 11 percent until October.
Mr Holland-Kay said Heathrow began recruiting staff in November in anticipation of high demand for summer travel, but that some key roles were still understaffed, including ground handlers, who airlines contract to load and unload baggage, turning aircraft and providing passenger check-in services.
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