The majority of London City airport users plan to fly again as soon as possible, a new poll reveals ahead of flights resuming at the weekend.
The survey of more than 4,700 people found that 79% were either likely or quite likely to travel when allowed to by the government, while 48% were very likely to.
The study found that 42% of airport users plan to fly on holiday within the next three months and 41% will travel on business.
Airport chief executive Robert Sinclair joined industry demands for air bridges to be created by the government with low risk countries.
He said: “With the aviation market opening up across Europe this week, it is my hope that air bridges can be agreed quickly with low risk European neighbours.
“This news would be a shot in the arm for the industry as well as for the wider UK economy.”
The first flights to resume at the docklands airport will serve domestic routes as the country recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic.
A British Airways service from the Isle of Man on June 21 is expected to become the airport’s first flight since it suspended operations at the end of March in response to the escalating public health crisis.
New routes will start also to Teesside by Eastern Airways and Dundee with Loganair on July 6.
Other connections to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dublin are expected to will return in July.
International flights to in-demand destinations such as Ibiza, Florence, Malaga and Palma are also expected to return to London City over the coming weeks.
The poll results showed that there is “clear early demand” from passengers to get back to flying, Sinclair said.
“It shows a desire to not only enjoy a holiday soon after nearly three months of lockdown, but to get back to business travel as well.
“We have worked hard to create a safe environment at the airport, so they can get back to flying in confidence.
“At the same time, we have been careful not to sacrifice the speed through the airport which passengers have always valued and is now more important than ever, as these results show.
“We will also be making a number of announcements with our airline partners in the coming weeks which we hope passengers will be excited by.”
Adam Tyndall, transport director at business campaign group London First, added: “This survey reinforces the need for the government to switch quickly to risk-based approach to international travel.
“Both blanket Foreign Office advice not to travel abroad and the mandatory two-week quarantine for all arrivals into the UK should be limited to the highest risk countries.
“Aviation can play a vital role in the economic recovery – from exports and professional services through to universities and hospitality – but only if the government removes these indiscriminate constraints and reverts to a nuanced, risk-based approach.”
