More than 4,900 ghost flights took off from Heathrow Airport during the first 18 months of the pandemic. Reuters
More than 4,900 ghost flights took off from Heathrow Airport during the first 18 months of the pandemic. Reuters
More than 4,900 ghost flights took off from Heathrow Airport during the first 18 months of the pandemic. Reuters
More than 4,900 ghost flights took off from Heathrow Airport during the first 18 months of the pandemic. Reuters

Heathrow tops list of 15,000 ‘ghost flights' from UK since pandemic struck


Laura O'Callaghan
  • English
  • Arabic

About 15,000 “ghost flights” left British airports during the first 18 months of the Covid-19 pandemic, figures have shown.

Heathrow topped the list with 4,910 ghost flights, defined as those without passengers or fewer than 10 per cent of passenger capacity, between March 2020 and September 2021.

Manchester Airport came second for ghost flights while Gatwick was third on the list.

The practice has been heavily criticised by environmental campaigners who say the carbon emitted during flights cannot be justified if the journey is unnecessary.

Ghost flights took off from all 32 airports listed on the newly released data. The figures include flights which were operated mainly to transport cargo or repatriate Britons stranded overseas.

In response to a parliamentary question, figures released by Robert Courts, the UK's Aviation Minister, showed an average of 760 empty planes left the UK each month during the period.

About 15,000 ghost flights left the UK between March 2020 and September 2021. AP
About 15,000 ghost flights left the UK between March 2020 and September 2021. AP

The actual numbers may be slightly higher because the data covered only international departures and not domestic flights.

Heathrow endured its worst financial year in 2021 and served its lowest number of passengers in about 50 years.

Aviation rules stipulate that airlines can lose valuable slots if they are not using at least 80 per cent of them.

However, the rules were suspended after the coronavirus crisis hit in spring 2020. But despite the relaxation, airlines flew 14,472 empty planes out of the UK.

“Flights may operate with a low number of passengers for a range of reasons,” Mr Courts said.

“Since the onset of the pandemic, the government has provided alleviation from the normal slot regulations. This means that airlines have not been required to operate empty or almost empty flights solely to retain their historic slots rights.”

Mr Courts released the data after Labour MP Alex Sobel, chairman of the net zero all-parliamentary group, raised the issue.

“To really tackle the climate emergency, we need to ensure that our aviation sector is as efficient as it can be with its carbon output,” Mr Sobel said.

Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said flights with low passenger numbers were often used to transport cargo.

“If you were flying PPE [personal protective equipment] from China or UK exports into the US while those markets were closed [to leisure travel], you would fly them on a passenger plane and you might only have a couple of passengers on board,” he told the PA news agency.

  • Heathrow Airport in London, the UK's busiest, has been a travel hub for decades. Here The National takes a look back at Heathrow through the years. All photos: Getty Images
    Heathrow Airport in London, the UK's busiest, has been a travel hub for decades. Here The National takes a look back at Heathrow through the years. All photos: Getty Images
  • An Airco De Havilland biplane of the British airline, Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited, about to leave on the company’s inaugural flight from Hounslow Heath Aerodrome, later known as Heathrow, to Le Bourget, Paris, in August 1919
    An Airco De Havilland biplane of the British airline, Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited, about to leave on the company’s inaugural flight from Hounslow Heath Aerodrome, later known as Heathrow, to Le Bourget, Paris, in August 1919
  • Waterlogged runways at London Airport - Heathrow's original name - one week before it became Britain's main aerial gateway to the US in 1946
    Waterlogged runways at London Airport - Heathrow's original name - one week before it became Britain's main aerial gateway to the US in 1946
  • The new BOAC maintenance headquarters at London Airport circa 1955
    The new BOAC maintenance headquarters at London Airport circa 1955
  • The air traffic control room at the airport's new terminal in 1955
    The air traffic control room at the airport's new terminal in 1955
  • US film star Marilyn Monroe with her husband, playwright Arthur Miller, after arriving at the airport in July 1956
    US film star Marilyn Monroe with her husband, playwright Arthur Miller, after arriving at the airport in July 1956
  • An aerial view showing the runways in 1958
    An aerial view showing the runways in 1958
  • The arrivals and departures board in 1960
    The arrivals and departures board in 1960
  • A new airport gift shop, selling items by Chanel, Wedgwood and Pringle of Scotland, in 1961
    A new airport gift shop, selling items by Chanel, Wedgwood and Pringle of Scotland, in 1961
  • The Queen's Building and the No. 1 Building Europa at Heathrow in 1965
    The Queen's Building and the No. 1 Building Europa at Heathrow in 1965
  • The Beatles leave Heathrow for Salzburg in Austria, to resume filming of the movie Help!, in 1965
    The Beatles leave Heathrow for Salzburg in Austria, to resume filming of the movie Help!, in 1965
  • Passenger terminal gates at Heathrow in 1966
    Passenger terminal gates at Heathrow in 1966
  • Keith Granville, managing director of BOAC, holding up a model of the Boeing 747 jet, with the new aircraft hangars under construction in the background, at Heathrow in 1969
    Keith Granville, managing director of BOAC, holding up a model of the Boeing 747 jet, with the new aircraft hangars under construction in the background, at Heathrow in 1969
  • An aerial view of Heathrow in 1970
    An aerial view of Heathrow in 1970
  • Passengers boarding the first BOAC Jumbo Jet 747 used for a commercial flight, from London Heathrow to New York, in 1971
    Passengers boarding the first BOAC Jumbo Jet 747 used for a commercial flight, from London Heathrow to New York, in 1971
  • Passengers going through the departure lounge at Heathrow in 1973
    Passengers going through the departure lounge at Heathrow in 1973
  • Concorde takes off from Heathrow on her first commercial flight for British Airways in 1976
    Concorde takes off from Heathrow on her first commercial flight for British Airways in 1976
  • Men at work finalising the Heathrow Central underground station before its opening in 1977
    Men at work finalising the Heathrow Central underground station before its opening in 1977
  • Queen Elizabeth II passing though the Tube gates at Heathrow Central station on its opening in 1977
    Queen Elizabeth II passing though the Tube gates at Heathrow Central station on its opening in 1977
  • An aerial view of Heathrow in 1978
    An aerial view of Heathrow in 1978
  • Passengers waiting near a departures board in 1979
    Passengers waiting near a departures board in 1979
  • Holidaymakers waiting in the departure lounge at Terminal 3 of Heathrow in 1981
    Holidaymakers waiting in the departure lounge at Terminal 3 of Heathrow in 1981
  • British Airways employees protesting at Heathrow in 1984
    British Airways employees protesting at Heathrow in 1984
  • Passengers and staff observe a silence in Heathrow's Terminal One to mark the beginning of the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997
    Passengers and staff observe a silence in Heathrow's Terminal One to mark the beginning of the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997
  • Rower Steve Redgrave at Heathrow with daughters Sophie and Natalie and son Zak after returning from the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games with his gold medal
    Rower Steve Redgrave at Heathrow with daughters Sophie and Natalie and son Zak after returning from the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games with his gold medal
  • Spectators watch the last Concorde land at Heathrow in 2003
    Spectators watch the last Concorde land at Heathrow in 2003
  • Fans surround the coach carrying the England rugby team at Heathrow, as they arrived from Sydney after winning the World Cup in 2003
    Fans surround the coach carrying the England rugby team at Heathrow, as they arrived from Sydney after winning the World Cup in 2003
  • Heathrow's Terminal 2 in 2004
    Heathrow's Terminal 2 in 2004
  • Passengers queue to check in at Terminal 1 of Heathrow Airport during the Christmas 2006 and New Year period
    Passengers queue to check in at Terminal 1 of Heathrow Airport during the Christmas 2006 and New Year period
  • Passengers wait at Terminal 1 on August 10, 2006, after airport security was raised to critical when a terrorist plot to blow up planes in mid-flight from the UK to the US was disrupted by police
    Passengers wait at Terminal 1 on August 10, 2006, after airport security was raised to critical when a terrorist plot to blow up planes in mid-flight from the UK to the US was disrupted by police
  • Planes queueing to take off at Heathrow in 2007
    Planes queueing to take off at Heathrow in 2007
  • The new Terminal 5 at Heathrow in 2008
    The new Terminal 5 at Heathrow in 2008
  • Aircraft at Heathrow Airport in front of the London skyline in 2016
    Aircraft at Heathrow Airport in front of the London skyline in 2016
  • Members of Team GB arrive from Rio de Janeiro at Heathrow, after returning from the 2016 Olympics, which saw Great Britain's strongest performance at the Games in over a century
    Members of Team GB arrive from Rio de Janeiro at Heathrow, after returning from the 2016 Olympics, which saw Great Britain's strongest performance at the Games in over a century
  • A composite photo shows planes taking off from Heathrow in November 2016. Forty-two planes were captured between 10.17am and 11.17am and a montage was created from those single images
    A composite photo shows planes taking off from Heathrow in November 2016. Forty-two planes were captured between 10.17am and 11.17am and a montage was created from those single images
  • Items are arranged during an auction preview at Heathrow in 2018. The contents of Terminal 1, which closed in 2015, were being sold
    Items are arranged during an auction preview at Heathrow in 2018. The contents of Terminal 1, which closed in 2015, were being sold
  • An airline passenger wearing a face mask pushes her bags through Heathrow's Terminal 5 during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020
    An airline passenger wearing a face mask pushes her bags through Heathrow's Terminal 5 during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020
  • British Airways employees welcome Olympians returning from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021
    British Airways employees welcome Olympians returning from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021
  • Travellers wait in a long queue to pass through the security check in 2022
    Travellers wait in a long queue to pass through the security check in 2022

“Given how tight finances are, nobody is flying a plane unless it is economically viable. This is actually about keeping the UK supply chain going while borders are closed for passengers.”

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic insisted they have not operated “ghost flights” to retain slots during the pandemic.

A Virgin Atlantic spokeswoman said its low-occupancy flights “supported the global movement of people, including returning foreign citizens and repatriated UK citizens, as well as keeping global supply chains running by moving vital cargo, including medical supplies and PPE”.

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Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service) 

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Favourite sport: anything extreme

Favourite person: Muhammad Ali 

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Rating: 1/5

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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What is a robo-adviser?

Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.

These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.

Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.

Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.

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Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Updated: February 23, 2022, 3:55 PM