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Gatwick endures torrid year but ‘heartened’ by Government roadmap
Gatwick Airport staggered to a loss of £465 million in 2020 but spoke of a brighter outlook as travel begins to pick up.
Passengers numbers collapsed 78% as travel ground to a halt, with the airport shedding 40% of its workforce.
Chief Executive Stewart Wingate said the extent of the loss will come as ‘no surprise’.
He also reiterated calls for more financial support to ‘protect as many jobs as possible’.
"Like any other international airport, the negative impact of Covid-19 resulted in a financial loss for the business last year which sadly also saw us need to reduce our workforce by over 40%," he said.
"I would like to thank all our staff, including those that have left us, for all their hard work and determination throughout these difficult times."
Wingate said he remained optimistic that the airport will recover and ‘retain its position as one of Europe’s leading international gateways’.
He also expressed optimism following Boris Johnson’s escape-from-lockdown plan announced on Monday.
"We are heartened by the UK Government’s Covid-19 response plan and look forward to working with the Global Travel Taskforce to develop a framework that can facilitate greater international travel as soon as possible," Wingate said.
"This will require the UK Government working with other Governments, to ease the current crippling travel restrictions and ensure a consistent, reciprocal approach for all travellers in time for this summer.
"Restoring passenger confidence and offering Covid-19 safe air travel while minimizing the need for cost prohibitive testing and disruptive quarantine measures is vital.
"Before air travel recovery begins, and in order for the industry to continue to protect as many jobs as possible, we also need the UK Government to provide further support by extending the furlough scheme for a few more months and providing business rate relief, as airports in Scotland have been afforded, for the current financial year."
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