LONDON: British Airways has paused the sale of short-haul flights from Heathrow, its main base of operations, until at least Aug. 8 amid a crippling passenger cap that has restricted holiday plans for millions of Britons.
The move, described as “unprecedented” by industry experts, has seen all bookings to Cairo and Morocco paused during the period.
BA has been forced into the decision at the UK’s largest airport after Heathrow moved in July to put a limit on passenger numbers during the peak summer season as it struggles to recover from post-pandemic logistical struggles.
The airport has put a cap on the number of passengers allowed to pass through its terminals at 100,000 a day until at least Sept. 11, in an attempt to reduce the chaos that has afflicted Heathrow since the school holidays began.
With BA passengers unable to book flights from Heathrow for short-haul Middle Eastern destinations until Aug. 8, prices for flights with the airline from other UK airports have skyrocketed.
The Times reported that a one-way flight from London Gatwick to Marrakech on Aug. 5 was £575 ($702), compared to the £92 BA is charging from the same airport for the end of the summer season.
