2022 traffic figures show the UK's aviation industry to be"steadily recovering from the pandemic", according to air traffic control services provider NATS.
In 2022, NATS managed 2,136,904 flights in UK airspace, 83% of 2019 figures. July 8 was the busiest day, NATS said, with July the busiest month, when over 10% of the year's flights took off and landed.
However the post-Covid recovery has some way to go before pre-2020 levels are reached, NATS' data show, with the two-million flights mark only crossed on December 6, almost three months later than usual.
NATS, which operates in multiple countries, said it handled 24% of European traffic in 2022.
"As well as the usual issues, such as weather, we were also dealing with industrial action in vital supporting sectors, the possible re-introduction of travel restrictions, for those travelling into the UK from China for example, and the closure of Ukraine airspace," said Juliet Kennedy, operations director.
“We maintained our operational capability throughout the pandemic and planned for 90% of usual traffic numbers in 2022 to ensure we did not constrain the aviation industry’s recovery. It was a very volatile year, but it was a great relief to welcome the return of busy airspace and people travelling overseas again," Kennedy explained.