The pandemic has choked air travel and ongoing restrictions across the world along with England’s second lockdown in November pushed passenger numbers at the airport down by more than October’s 82% decline.

Heathrow said those falls meant it would keep Terminal 4, one of its four terminals, closed until the end of 2021.

The airport group has started legal action against Britain’s decision to end tax-free shopping for tourists from Jan 1, which it said will result in retail job losses at the airport, and further harm a business already suffering from Covid-19.

In October, the drop in passenger numbers meant Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris overtook Heathrow as Europe’s busiest airport, dealing a blow to the UK’s global trade ambitions after Brexit.