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Heathrow’s controversial flight cap could be extended until next year
July 27, 2022
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3 min read
Heathrow’s controversial flight cap could be extended until next year
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A week is a long time in aviation. Just ask the CEO of London's Heathrow Airport (LHR), John Holland-Kaye, who has just declared that the airport's controversial flight cap may not end for another year.
The flight cap limits departing passengers to 100,000 per day and was initially set to run until Sept. 11 before being extended last week to Oct. 29. It could now remain in place for 18 months, taking us into 2023.
"This is not going to be a quick fix," Holland-Kaye said. "It's absolutely possible that we could have another summer with a cap still in place. It's going to take 12 to 18 months, and not just at Heathrow."
Holland-Kaye also revealed that the airport has seen a "material improvement in performance" since the cap began on July 12.
"Punctuality has improved, baggage performance has improved, and that shows that the difficult decisions we took two weeks ago are having an impact so that passengers can travel with confidence at Heathrow this summer," he shared.
"Airline ground handler performance has been much more stable since the cap came into effect, and we have seen a marked improvement in punctuality and baggage performance."
Related: Lufthansa to cut 1,000 flights in Frankfurt and Munich on Wednesday
Originally, the plan seemed to blindside many of the biggest operators — including Emirates, which accused airport bosses of having a blatant disregard for flyers before eventually agreeing to limit its passenger tally.
Things became so fractious between airlines and LHR planners that many carriers simply refused to play ball, believing the cap on flyers would add further disruption to one of the most hectic periods in modern aviation.
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In response, Heathrow doubled down, reportedly warning carriers they could face legal action if they failed to reduce the capacity of their flights. The cooperation of Emirates is just one example of how quickly the major players fell into place.
Related: What to do when an airline loses your bag
A few months is one thing, but an entire 18 months is sure to shock aviation executives. Perhaps for this reason Holland-Kaye has also outlined a financial positive for airlines: They can now charge more for the limited number of seats.
"So there is a silver lining in this for them," he added.
However, it's fair to say that everyday travelers won't see the positives.
Whether the Civil Aviation Authority will see them remains to be seen. Together with the Department for Transport, the watchdog wrote a letter to the airport after the flight cap was announced, stating:
'The government and the CAA are concerned that current resourcing plans are not delivering this outcome with a positive passenger experience in the coming weeks, particularly as we lead into the start of the school summer holidays in England towards the end of July."
Heathrow is also one of many airports facing major strike action throughout the summer, with the possibility of British Airways pilots walking out in the coming months.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
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- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.