BA currently operates some leisure long-haul services from the airport, but earlier this month ditched a plan to return some short-haul routes to Gatwick for the summer peak, operating them from Heathrow instead.

The BA chief executive told the Institute of Travel Management’s annual conference: “We are still flying long-haul; we are reviewing what the remainder of the year will look like.”

He said a decision would be made “when we get more clarity on the travel framework”.

BA had been due to restart some short-haul routes from Gatwick on 30 June but said a few weeks ago it would continue to operate from Heathrow until the start of the winter season in late October.

Doyle also indicated BA was keen not to give up its “market-leading position” at London City airport, where traffic is driven by corporate travel.

On the market generally, he said he expected leisure travel to return strongly once restrictions were clarified.

“There has probably never been a better time to book, because there are great deals and flexibility.”

Doyle repeated his assertion that the UK government’s traffic light system needed to be made simpler and that those who were vaccinated should be given greater freedom. “We should have broadly unrestricted travel in green,” he said.

He also called for the opening of a UK-US travel corridor, arguing the two countries had similar proportions of their populations vaccinated.

“I think it should be prioritised. Vaccinations are more or less neck and neck,” he said.