Heathrow hits back at airlines, says flight cap may be extended

Bloomberg

London Heathrow airport said airlines need to hire ground staff more aggressively to help overcome persistent travel disruptions, warning that a cap on flights to ease the chaos might have to stay in place for at least another year.
“This is not going to be a quick fix,” CEO John Holland-Kaye said. “It’s absolutely possible that we could have another summer with a cap still in place. It’s going to take 12 to 18 months, and not just at Heathrow.”
Heathrow introduced a limit of 100,000 daily departing passengers on July 12 and said at the time that the measure would stay in place for two months. The airport operator struck a more combative tone , saying airlines need to shape up and replenish their depleted ground-handling resources and that Heathrow itself had done its fair share of hiring in the past six months.
Weeks of travel chaos across Europe have pitted airlines against airports, each blaming one another for insufficient staffing and preparation as pandemic-weary travellers rushed to book their summer vacation.
Scenes of long waiting lines snaking out of terminals, mountains of stranded luggage and abruptly cancelled flights have become familiar images at airports in the UK, France and Germany, exacerbated by strikes at carriers including EasyJet Plc and Deutsche Lufthansa AG seeking better pay deals.
Budget specialist Ryanair warned that delays to air-traffic control are a major issue, and that staffing at airports is still not at the required level.
Holland-Kaye said airlines are responsible for hiring ground personnel, and that there remain shortages in areas like check-in, baggage handlers and air-bridge operators.
The airport, Europe’s busiest prior to the coronavirus crisis, met with a backlash from passengers and resistance from airlines when it revealed the flight restrictions after initially suggesting it had escaped the worst of Europe’s travel crisis.
Heathrow said its own resources are sufficient to cope with about 85% of the traffic seen in 2019, which is roughly in line with current demand.