SOUTHEND Airport is facing a four to five-year battle back to normality from the devastating impact of Covid-19, its boss has revealed.

Glyn Jones, CEO London Southend Airport, told the Echo number of flights and revenue seen in 2019 is unlikely to be seen again until at least 2024.

The airport chief is confident it can bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic - with the next two years critical in the recovery.

Mr Jones is still aiming to have “three or four” airlines based at the airport, with two other airlines flying in and out, despite the impact of Covid-19.

However, he is forecasting next year’s footfall to be 40 per cent of that in 2019 and predicts short-haul will return soonest because people do not want to wear masks on long-haul flights.

Mr Jones, who remains upbeat and confident about the future, added: “We’re under huge pressure but we can bounce back from this.

“I’m really confident we can return to where we were.

“There is an underlying de mand, we have seen that. As soon as a country was taken off the quarantine list, people were flying there.

“Our proximity to London will also benefit us. We serve bothSouthend and London. People from both use the airport.

“We will see a return in short haul flights before long haul does.

“Passengers don’t want to be sitting for 12 hours on a flight with a mask on.”

In September, a new route to Norway from Southend Airport was cancelled just weeks after it was launched, with bosses blaming quarantine rules.

Mr Jones has again slammed the Government for the handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and believes ministers “are not taking the impact on the aviation industry seriously enough.”

He had previously criticised the Government’s handling of the two-week quarantine period for passengers flying into the UK from abroad, dismissing the system as confusing for passengers.

Paying tribute to his staff for their work throughout the pandemic, he added: “The staff here have been fantastic.

“Their response to everything that has been going on has been wonderful. With the background and easyJet pulling out, it’s been difficult for them to see.

“But just because there aren’t many flights, doesn’t mean there isn’t any staff. We still need security and air traffic control. I wanted to keep the whole team intact.

“Trying to adapt has been difficult, but I’ve been talking to people every day finding out how they’re doing.”

With easyJet pulling out of Southend Airport over the summer, the only airline based at the airport is Ryanair.

Mr Jones said he would take easyJet back in a heartbeat, adding: “I would love to have easyJet back at the airport, but the circumstances are where they are.

“They had to make difficult decisions. Unfortunately we lost out, but we weren’t the only casualty.

“It’s immensely difficult trying persuade airlines to base themselves here when the backdrop is so uncertain. We’re talking to everyone.

“The fact easyJet left us this year doesn’t mean they will never be back.

“I was disappointed when they left. You never want to believe an airline has left the airport.”

Campaigners and airline workers held a protest outside the airport in recent months following the withdrawal of easyJet.

Unite said easyJet’s decision to close its base at Stansted and Southend airports will result in the loss of 351 cabin crew jobs - 220 Stansted and 131 Southend - with pilots and engineers also being made redundant as a result.

Southend Airport bosses also said a total of 30 jobs directly at the airport will be lost.

However, a fresh plan to lure the airline back to the airport has been launched, with Southend Council bosses remaining positive at their chances.

Ian Gilbert, leader of the council, believes a return could be on the cards and revealed council bosses had been in discussions with the budget carrier following its departure.