Heathrow Airport’s chief executive, John Holland-Kaye, has laid out his plan to get the UK’s busiest aviation hub back on track after the battering it took from the Covid-19 pandemic. But London's main airport faces a struggle to convince its airline partners that it is back on track.
Speaking to The National, the west London airport’s boss opened up about the litany of upsets that have blighted Heathrow on its path to recovery.
In 2019, the last year before the coronavirus crisis forced countries into lockdown, about 80.9 million passengers travelled through the airport. From January to October 2022 more than 50 million people passed through its doors.
Heathrow last month won back its crown as Europe’s busiest airport after attracting 5.8 million passengers between July and September. The figure was more than that recorded by airports in rival cities such as Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt.
The influx offered a major boost to Heathrow, which ranked as the 10th busiest airport on the continent last year. However, it still has a long, uphill climb back to pre-pandemic levels.
‘It will take years to recover but we will get there’
While assailed by the criticism from significant industry figures such as Iata boss Willie Walsh, Mr Holland-Kaye struck a positive tone when discussing when a full rebound could most likely happen. “We will get back to where we were pre-pandemic,” he said defiantly. “I think it will take us until 2025-2026.
“Still a lot of rebuilding needs to happen across the whole of aviation."
He was keen to stress that the UK aviation sector is far from alone in its efforts to achieve pre-pandemic levels.
“We tend to think of the challenge of rebuilding as just being a UK thing, but it’s not," he said. "Almost any country you go to in the world you will see planes sitting idle because they haven’t enough pilots or problems with baggage. The whole ecosystem has been damaged by Covid. It will just take time to rebuild that.
“But actually in the UK we’re doing a pretty good job, given how badly the UK was affected.
“For Heathrow, the reality is we had the worst pandemic of any major hub and we drew more people in the last few months.”
‘No more caps on passengers’
Questioned about how the controversial caps imposed on airlines this summer had potentially harmed Heathrow’s reputation and its relations with carriers, Mr Holland-Kaye expressed a desire to leave the past behind.
The airport’s decision in July to limit the number of passengers to 100,000 per day over the summer was condemned by Emirates airline as “entirely unreasonable and unacceptable”.
The airport had for months endured chaotic scenes as tens of thousands of passengers faced lengthy queues at security, flight delays and cancellations.
The cap was lifted earlier this month, but the damage may already have been done.
“I can understand the frustration that some airlines would have had,” Mr Holland-Kaye said. “But we will put that behind us. We will now just focus on rebuilding demand together.”
Far from having strained relations with airlines, he said Heathrow works “very well” with airlines who fly in and out of the airport,
“I think collaboration is better than it has ever been,” he said.
“Nobody wants to have to put caps in place. It was the right thing to do over the summer and it meant that people could travel on their journeys over the summer, which is a good thing.
“We won’t need to do that again."
The Heathrow boss ruled out caps being re-imposed over the Christmas period.
Shai Weiss, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, this week called on Heathrow to operate at full capacity next summer and rule out caps for the same period. The airline also said the regulatory system that protected Heathrow needs to be reformed. Without an overhaul of the regime, it said it would be "difficult to see how expansion at Heathrow can be supported”.
The Heathrow chief executive says that his team is addressing the airlines' concerns, particularly on capacity. "We’re working on the basis we will have no caps next summer," Mr Holland-Kaye said. He pointed out that Heathrow employs just one in 10 people who work at the airport. The rest are hired by airlines and baggage handling companies.
In the past 12 months Heathrow has hired 16,000 people, a feat he described as phenomenal, and the number of security staff on the rota is the same as the pre-pandemic level.
“We had as many people working in security before the summer, before the end of July, as we had pre-pandemic,” he said.
Overall, he admitted more hiring needs to happen, predominantly to replenish back office staff numbers after redundancies during the Covid-19 crisis.
Looking ahead to next summer, he predicted a surge in demand for holidays.
“What we have to focus on is the peaks and the peak next summer might be just as busy as the peak we had in 2019 because most of the demand we’re seeing at the moment is leisure [travel]," he said. "So, next summer will be as busy potentially as it was in 2019.”
Asked if Heathrow would be prepared to handle peaks next summer, he said “I think we will”.
Speaking at the Airlines 2022 conference in London this week, Mr Weiss said he would still like to see Heathrow go ahead with plans for a third runway, but only with strict conditions. He said the expansion project, which has been a source of controversy among communities in west London, would be supported by Virgin Atlantic only if growth plans are accompanied by steps to boost flight path competition.
“We would support a third runway if, and only if, more competition is provided,” he said. “We’ve learnt a lot over the last few years through the pandemic and the last consultation on the charges to refine our unequivocal support to a more tentative support.”
Heathrow through the years - in pictures
'Reopening of markets is key to recovery'
The reopening of China, where Covid case numbers are increasing, as well as an easing travel requirements in countries in the Middle East, will be key to bringing demand back to where it was before the pandemic hit, he said.
After speaking with other figures in the aviation industry, he said there are concerns about bringing demand for travel back to where it was before lockdowns were imposed.
While the final set of the UK’s travel restrictions were lifted in March, Mr Holland-Kaye pointed out that many parts of the Middle East are still “not easy to travel through”.
“I was there a couple of weeks ago and I still had to have a PCR test before I could fly, fill out lots of apps, things like that,” he said, but failed to specify the destination.
“There’s a lot of friction still in travel, which means for business travellers it’s just not as easy to go and travel in the way you used to. It will take a while for that to come back. But at the moment it’s all about how quickly countries open.”
‘Border reforms needed to speed up flow of goods’
The airport boss called for a shake-up of Britain’s border rules to enable cargo to pass through Heathrow at a faster pace.
Under existing rules, goods arriving on flights at Heathrow have to be taken off site and sorted elsewhere before being returned to the airport for their onward journey.
Mr Holland-Kaye is pressuring the Conservative government to implement a new system that would allow goods to be sorted at the airport. This, he said, would significantly slash waiting times for cargo.
He said it is not a hangover from Brexit, but rather the result of a “very out-of-date system” in dire need of modernisation.
He cited Dubai Airport as a prime example of how different regulations can enable much shorter processing times.
“It takes about 30 minutes to take goods through the border of Dubai, it takes about four hours in the UK,” he said. “And this is for connecting goods, a big part of the airline cargo industry.
“That’s because the current rules mean you have to take goods out of the airport to sort them and then bring them back on again. Where in Dubai and other ports you can [sort] them on airport.
“There are a number of things that we’re talking about with the UK government to see how we can just speed up the flow of connecting goods through the airport,” he said.
Under the 2025 UK Border Strategy, the government has said it is committed to streamlining processes to benefit traders and travellers and improve security and biosecurity. The government is trialling several technologies that will enable people and goods to be processed at ports at a faster pace.
Mr Holland-Kaye said the rules around cargo are an example of how Britain “could have a world-class border”.
“We’re getting there for people, e-gates are fantastic, but we are behind the game in terms of cargo and we can do much better in the next couple of years.”
F1 drivers' standings
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Queen
Nicki Minaj
(Young Money/Cash Money)
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
DSC Eagles 23 Dubai Hurricanes 36
Eagles
Tries: Bright, O’Driscoll
Cons: Carey 2
Pens: Carey 3
Hurricanes
Tries: Knight 2, Lewis, Finck, Powell, Perry
Cons: Powell 3
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
One-off T20 International: UAE v Australia
When: Monday, October 22, 2pm start
Where: Abu Dhabi Cricket, Oval 1
Tickets: Admission is free
Australia squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Darcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa, Peter Siddle
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE SQUAD
Ahmed Raza (Captain), Rohan Mustafa, Jonathan Figy, CP Rizwan, Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Usman, Basil Hameed, Zawar Farid, Vriitya Aravind (WK), Waheed Ahmed, Karthik Meiyappan, Zahoor Khan, Darius D'Silva, Chirag Suri
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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Results
Women finals: 48kg - Urantsetseg Munkhbat (MGL) bt Distria Krasniqi (KOS); 52kg - Odette Guiffrida (ITA) bt Majlinda Kelmendi (KOS); 57kg - Nora Gjakova (KOS) bt Anastasiia Konkina (Rus)
Men’s finals: 60kg - Amiran Papinashvili (GEO) bt Francisco Garrigos (ESP); 66kg - Vazha Margvelashvili (Geo) bt Yerlan Serikzhanov (KAZ)
Scores:
Day 4
England 290 & 346
Sri Lanka 336 & 226-7 (target 301)
Sri Lanka require another 75 runs with three wickets remaining
Other key dates
-
Finals draw: December 2
-
Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
Gulf Men's League final
Dubai Hurricanes 24-12 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Results
5pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner No Riesgo Al Maury, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner Marwa W’Rsan, Sam Hitchcott, Jaci Wickham.
6pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner Dahess D’Arabie, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi.
6.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m
Winner Safin Al Reef, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
7pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,200m
Winner Thulbaseera Al Jasra, Shakir Al Balushi, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
7.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh 80,000 2,200m
Winner Autumn Pride, Szczepan Mazur, Helal Al Alawi.
If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club race card
5pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic (PA) Prestige; Dh110,000; 1,400m
5.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic (PA) Prestige; Dh110,000; 1,400m
6pm: Maiden (PA); Dh80,000; 1,600m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship (PA) Listed; Dh180,000; 1,600m
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap; Dh70,000; 2,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (PA); Dh100,000; 2,400m
Meydan Racecourse racecard:
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes Listed (PA) | Dh175,000 | 1,900m
7.05pm: Maiden for 2-year-old fillies (TB) | Dh165,000 | 1,400m
7.40pm: The Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) | Dh265,000 | 1,600m
8.15pm: Maiden for 2-year-old colts (TB) | Dh165,000 | 1,600m
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) | Dh265,000 | 2,000m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh190,000 | 1,200m
10pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh190,000 | 1,600m.
RESULT
Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
The biog
Age: 30
Position: Senior lab superintendent at Emirates Global Aluminium
Education: Bachelor of science in chemical engineering, post graduate degree in light metal reduction technology
Favourite part of job: The challenge, because it is challenging
Favourite quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” Gandi
Empire of Enchantment: The Story of Indian Magic
John Zubrzycki, Hurst Publishers
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sideup%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202019%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Waleed%20Rashed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cairo%2C%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20technology%2C%20e-commerce%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%241.2%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Launch%20Africa%20VC%2C%20500%20Global%2C%20Riyadh%20Angels%2C%20Alex%20Angels%2C%20Al%20Tuwaijri%20Fund%20and%20Saudi%20angel%20investor%20Faisal%20Al%20Abdulsalam%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Slow loris biog
From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets
Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation
Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night
Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans