August flight departures set to reach highest since October 2019

Figures published on Wednesday (9 August) by aviation analytics firm Cirium show that flight capacity is at 89% of 2019 levels, with 92,549 services scheduled to depart from UK airports.

This is a 4% increase on the first six months of the year, when flight capacity was at 85% of pre-pandemic levels.

Flights, the data shows, are currently up 11% and 101% on August 2022 and 2021 respectively, following a resurgence in both business and leisure travel.

Brits also continue to opt for Turkey and Greece for their holidays abroad to the detriment of other hotspots such as Italy and Spain. 

UK holidaymakers were not deterred even by the wildfires that have scorched the Mediterranean, as flights to Turkey and Greece have gone up 46% and 34% compared to pre-Covid levels, while Spain and Italy have dropped by 8% and 11% respectively.