LONDON (UK) – Gatwick Airport authorities said Britain’s no. 2 airport incurred a loss of 321 million pounds in the first half of the year as the number of passengers nosedived.
Situated in the south of London, Gatwick is owned by VINCI Airports and Global Infrastructure Partners. Earlier this week, it had announced 600 job cuts to meet its operational expenses.
Gatwick authorities said passenger numbers are likely to remain muted and the rising number of coronavirus cases in European countries and the quarantine rule introduced by Britain on major holiday destinations such as France and Spain have scorched its dream of recovery.
Gatwick’s passenger numbers dropped by 66 per cent in the six months to the end of June as most aircraft were grounded. This pushed revenues down to 61% to 144 million pounds.
Gatwick said it has slashed expenses by shifting all operations to one terminal and has held discussions with banks and bondholders regarding the impact of the crisis.
The country’s number one airport, Heathrow, reported a loss of 1.1 billion pounds in the first half of the year and has been pressing forward with a campaign to promote coronavirus screening as an alternative to quarantine to encourage more air travellers.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.
