UK Air Travel Reaches Peak: Friday Sees Record Departures
This Friday, 23 August, is predicted to be the busiest day for departures from UK airports so far in 2024, with a staggering 3,243 flights scheduled to take off, according to aviation data provider Cirium.
The upcoming bank holiday weekend is set to witness an even greater surge in air travel, with departure figures almost 4% higher than the August Bank Holiday in 2023. A total of 12,302 flights are planned to depart from UK airports over the weekend, offering over 2.2 million seats to eager travellers.
This surge in air travel is a testament to the ongoing recovery of the aviation industry, with scheduled departures across the weekend, from Friday 23 August to Monday 26 August, reaching 94% of 2019 levels.
Heathrow Airport is expected to see the highest number of departures over the weekend, followed by Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted, and Edinburgh.
Dublin, Amsterdam, Mallorca, Alicante, and Malaga are anticipated to be the most popular international destinations for UK travellers during this period.
EasyJet is projected to be the busiest airline over the weekend, followed by British Airways, Ryanair, Jet2, and TUI. The significant increase in passenger numbers reflects the pent-up demand for travel following the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the peak travel season continues, UK airports are preparing for a busy period, with increased security checks and staff deployments to manage the influx of passengers. Travellers are advised to arrive at the airport with ample time to spare and to be aware of potential delays due to the high volume of passengers.
