An empty International Arrivals hall is pictured at Terminal Two of London Heathrow Airport in west London, on May 9, 2020.
JUSTIN TALLIS | AFP | Getty Images
Britain's Heathrow Airport said passenger numbers in August were down 81.5% compared to last year, as it repeated its call for the UK government to introduce testing as an alternative to the country's 14-day quarantine rule.
Heathrow, which before the COVID-19 pandemic was the busiest airport in Europe, said that North American passenger numbers were down 95% compared to last year as the 14-day quarantine rule deters long-haul travel.
"Heathrow urges the government to introduce testing as an alternative to 14-day quarantine to protect millions of jobs across the UK and to kickstart the economic recovery," the airport said in a statement on Friday.