Few airports in the UK had as rough a ride during the pandemic as Gatwick. Martyn Cartledge assesses recent events at the London gateway before considering what the future may hold.
Describing a situation as unprecedented has become a cliché, but few would argue that it’s a fitting description for the events of early 2020. Within a few days, airport terminals around the world emptied while the ramps outside filled up with aircraft with nowhere to go.
London/Gatwick was certainly no exception to this. The airport slashed its opening hours – except for emergency landings – with the few remaining passengers being funnelled through a single terminal. Airport staff were laid off or furloughed, with a similar situation at many airlines and other partner organisations. Speaking at the time, Stewart Wingate, the chief executive of the airport, said: “Significantly reduced passenger numbers are likely to be sustained, at least in the short to medium term, and I need to prepare people for the news that other serious measures are likely.”
The outbreak took the wind out the sails of Gatwick. Pre-crisis passenger numbers were at a record high of 46 million per year – a figu…
