LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP)— London’s Heathrow airport Tuesday expressed hope of a return to pre-pandemic traffic, while cautioning over resurgent COVID infections, Ukraine fallout and recession threats.

Almost 5.8 million passengers passed through the hub in September, down 15 per cent from the same month in 2019, or six months before COVID-19 took hold worldwide.

“Our focus over the next 12 months is to get capacity, service levels and resilience back to the high levels that they were before the pandemic,” Heathrow said in a statement.

The “demand outlook remains uncertain, with growing economic headwinds, a new wave of COVID and the escalating situation in Ukraine”, it added.

Heathrow claimed it had been the “busiest European airport over the summer” in terms of passenger numbers.

Istanbul took first place in July, however, with 6.74 million passengers according to Europe’s airports industry association.

The coronavirus pandemic ravaged the aviation sector, grounding planes worldwide and forcing airlines to slash thousands of jobs in 2020.

Demand has recovered sharply after most lockdowns were lifted. However, airlines and airports are struggling to recruit the necessary staff having axed so many positions.

Heathrow has responded with a cap on the number of departing passengers, but the airport did not blame this on reduced traffic.