London’s Heathrow Airport is no longer the busiest airport in Europe, Heathrow announced this Wednesday.
For the first time, Heathrow Airport is overtaken by Paris Charles de Gaulle as Europe’s largest and busiest airport. Amsterdam Schiphol and Frankfurt are close behind. Alongside several British airlines, the airport is calling on the government to change its entry policy. Currently, all travellers arriving in the UK from high-risk countries must be quarantined for two weeks. Heathrow is soon set to open its own test street in an effort to attract more travellers, something other major European airports already have in place.
When assessing which is the largest airport, generally only the number of passengers is considered. The number of flights is not taken into account. Heathrow has seen its passenger numbers decline for months, mainly due to the UK’s strict entry policy throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The UK Government has announced an intention to introduce testing for passengers from high-risk countries by 1st December to help restart the UK economy.