PASSENGER numbers at London Luton Airport are down by 74% on last year in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The number is expected to increase this month as restrictions ease and more flights resume. But the figures for August are expected to be dramatically low compared to previous years, the airport warns.
The airport is showing the strongest recovery rate in passenger numbers of any major UK airport with a welcome incease on the figures for June. The recently formed easyJet Holidays welcomed its first customers on August 1 while Wizz Air continues to expand its operation at Luton, currently flying to 58 destinations with more than a dozen new routes launching this summer.
Retail partners at the airport have also reopened, including Wasabi, Starbucks, Sunglass Hut and Benugo. More are due to follow throughout August, including the Aspire Lounge which opened its doors this week following an extensive refit which was delayed by the pandemic.
London Luton’s chief executive Alberto Martin said: “Seeing an increasing number of passengers passing through the airport safely is a rich reward for all the hard work and effort our teams have put in on the ground during this incredibly difficult period.
“While we are delighted to see more passengers passing through the airport, we are still a long way from normal. Over the next couple of months government assistance is going to be key, from providing passengers the reassurance they need to be able to take a long-awaited holiday to helping the sector and those who work in it play an essential role supporting the UK’s economic recovery.”
