Passenger numbers in the 12 months to the end of June totalled 10.5 million, down almost 82%. The airport said numbers were “much lower than EU rivals”.

Heathrow estimates the continued closure of transatlantic links is costing the UK economy “at least £23 million a day”. 

“Passenger traffic from Heathrow to the US is down by around 80%, whereas the EU, which has reopened unilaterally with the US, has seen traffic recover to only around 40% down,” the airport said.

Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: “While it’s fantastic news that some double-vaccinated passengers will no longer need to quarantine from amber countries, ministers need to extend this policy to US and EU nationals if they want to kick-start the economic country. 

“These changes will be critical for exporters who are losing out to EU rivals and families who have been separated from loved ones.”