The outlook for UK airports became brighter this summer due to the easing of restrictions and a simplified traffic light system. Optimistic trends below show a sharp increase in passenger traffic from July onwards, proving UK airports are on the path to recovery.
Welcome families back to your airport this half term with airport resources matching the expected demand for a positive passenger journey.
After lockdown and a complicated summer, the half term is the first opportunity for many families to have a trip abroad. With pre-departure tests scrapped, the traffic light system simplified and Covid tests for vaccinated passengers entering the UK a thing of the past, foreign travel is now far more practical for families. According to Thomas Cook, half term bookings jumped by 200% in September compared to August, after the government announcement. This positive news is a boost the airport industry needs to kick start a successful recovery, however, there is pressure on the airports to ensure the passenger experience is a positive one to encourage return flights.
Are you ready to scale up your airport operations and resources for this half term?
With our Airport Recovery Tool ARTΔ, covering 18 processes from kerbside to runway, you can make smart resourcing and equipment decisions quickly based on your daily or weekly forecast schedules to optimise your operations.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has published UK airport statistics for the second quarter of 2021 showing a slow gradual incline of activity for ATM and passenger traffic. Read further to see the surprising dip in cargo activity.
To clearly see the UK airport activity patterns across the months, AiQ has visually represented the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) activity data. Our airport planners modelled the months April to June covering ATMs, passengers, and Cargo for 51 UK airports. July data has been plotted on the graphs but please note there are several small regional airports to submit their data into CAA. Commentary on July’s data will be published next month when we have a full set of results. Read More »
In support of future airport planning, AiQ has visually represented this year’s UK airport activity from January to April 2021. Our airport planners modelled the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) monthly activity statistics on ATMs, passengers, and Cargo for 2021 for 51 UK airports. To highlight the dramatic effect COVID-19 has had on the aviation industry we include comparisons from 2019 and 2020. Understanding how the activity is changing month by month allows airports to flexibly plan their operations to passenger forecasts and prepare for the summer months which is usually the peak season for airports. Will passenger and ATM traffic continue to rise? We shall report on the summer months as CAA publish their data. Read More »
The destructive impact of COVID-19 on the aviation industry has dramatically changed airport challenges and priorities. Therefore, operational planning has compelled to evolve as the pandemic grew. As leading innovators of holistic airport operational planning, we explore how COVID-19 has changed the basis of airport planning.
Today, airports are operating with dramatically reduced revenues, forcing them to radically cut CAPEX and OPEX. Their focus is on complex process change, operating with fluctuating demand and extraordinarily short planning horizons. To optimise resources and save costs across the entire airport, holistic operational planning is essential with the engagement of all stakeholders. This approach teamed with quick, and simple decision validation models has been a shift from airports using time-consuming complex simulation tools and stakeholders working in isolation. Read More »
Over the last few months, AiQ has interpreted the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) monthly statistics on ATMs, Passenger, and Cargo to provide airports with a clear vision of airport operational activity in the UK. This helps airports to flexibly plan their operations to the changeable demand and to understand the bigger picture over the months. The data used in our below graphs is based on 51 UK airports. Read More »
Uncertainty is a word repeatedly used this year, especially within the aviation industry and unfortunately, the situation continues to be uncertain. However, there are optimistic signs for UK Airports and Airlines with welcomed announcements made this month, November 2020.
Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport announced during the virtual Airport Operators Association (AOA) Conference that the government will launch a ‘test and release’ programme after England’s’ November lockdown ends. In addition, there is very good news on the efficacy of some COVID-19 vaccines. But not until 2021! Read More »
For UK Airports to flexibly plan their operations to the changeable demand, they need to understand how the activity is changing month on month. AiQ has provided a clear vision of monthly UK airport activity to show the current situation as we lead to Christmas 2020. Our team have visually represented the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) monthly activity statistics on ATMs, passengers, and Cargo to include the recently published September figures. The data used in our below graphs is based on 51 UK airports.
Following on from our previous ‘Above Wing’ efficiency blog we have shared our practical suggestions below on how to make efficiency and cost savings for ‘Below Wing’ throughout the airport.
The statistics published by Eurocontrol and Civil Aviation Authority all indicate that UK airports will be in ‘survival’ to ‘intermittent recovery’ for the rest of 2020 and into 2021. ‘Consistent recovery’ and ‘growth’ may build early in 2021 for summer schedules, but there is still great uncertainty. You can clearly see these phases in our blog ‘Revised route to airport recovery’.
It is therefore clear that airport operators must look at their businesses in this ‘new business environment’. No longer is growth guaranteed. No longer is income from airlines, parking, retail & food & beverage assured. The fixed overheads including your licensing costs continue to run. Revenues and profits will be squeezed. Read More »
The airport world will be different – perhaps for many years. However, running a business and an airport is about handling the downside and taking opportunities when and where they are available – otherwise your competitors’ will.
It is clear that airport operators must look at their businesses in a new light. No longer is growth guaranteed. No longer is income from Airlines, Parking, Duty-Free, Retail, Food & Beverage guaranteed. The fixed overheads including your Licensing costs continue to run. Revenue and profits will be squeezed.
Following on from our previous blog ‘A Clear Vision of UK Airports Recovery’ which focuses on ATMs and passenger traffic, our airport planners have also tracked Air Cargo activity for this year showing the airport recovery and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, see below. Read More »
At AiQ Consulting our dedicated airport planners analyse and model all processes across an entire airport including passenger, baggage, transfer systems and ground support equipment – giving the big picture as well as highly detailed insights and analysis for effective decision making. Our modelling brings complex data to life to solve complex airport problems and improve operational efficiency.
During the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have tracked the route to airports recovery as seen in a previous blog. To provide more clarity to the recovery phases, our team have extracted Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) informative data to track UK airports monthly activity during 2020, representing these statistics visually in graphs to provide a clear vision. The raw data can be found on CAA website here.
The data used in our below graphs is based on 51 UK airports. Read More »
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