Easing of Covid travel restrictions brings boost to London City

Twenty of the 25 routes that BA CityFlyer operated from London City airport prior to the pandemic in 2019 have now returned to the schedule.

New routes to Milan Malpensa and Luxembourg start on March 27, while connections to Rotterdam and Nice also resume.

Italian carrier ITA starts flights from London City to Milan Linate on March 28.

The return of core routes comes as the airport reported its fourth consecutive busiest week since the start of the pandemic.

The latest figures indicate that London City is on track to have its best month in two years, with volumes up 40% on February.

The airport plans a network covering 36 destinations this summer, nearly 80% of pre-pandemic 2019.

Business traffic is also making a return since the easing of UK Covid travel restrictions, according to the Docklands airport.

The corporate share of traffic has reached 2019 levels, representing 46% of passenger journeys, with Edinburgh, Zurich, Amsterdam and Dublin routes all seeing strong growth.

Head of aviation Anne Doyere said: “We are delighted to see key routes and strong passenger growth returning.

“The demand from customers has given us real confidence heading into the summer. It’s also testament to the agility of our airlines providing convenient flight times and competitive pricing that benefit our customers.”

She added: “The UK government’s removal of all remaining travel restrictions, including the complicated Passenger Locator Form and all testing requirements, is hugely welcome news for our passengers and will make travel easier again.

“This will help businesses get moving, boosting consumer confidence in travel ahead of Easter and summer.”