Bank of England policymaker Megan Greene argues UK rates cuts are a way off, as inflation persistence is a greater threat here than in the US
Heathrow is calling on the government to scrap a new £10 charge for overseas travellers who use UK airports to connect to other flights, warning that it puts UK airports at a competitive disadvantage compared with other European rivals.
The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) was introduced in November for non-UK residents travelling to the UK from Qatar, and now also covers travellers from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Heathrow enjoyed a boost in March thanks to the earlier-than-normal Easter weekend and school holidays with many families taking the opportunity to go on holiday abroad.
It was the busiest Easter weekend ever for Heathrow, and Good Friday was the busiest ever direct departure day with 118,000 travellers passing through. Despite pressures from inflation and a weak economic backdrop, individuals and families clearly continue to prioritise their travel plans at the expense of other spending.
