Goodness, gracious, what a Saturday night (or early Sunday morning). Anthony Kim is a winner yet again, clinching the biggest chapter in an outrageous comeback story with a victoryat a raucous LIV Australia. Below, GOLF editors Dylan Dethier, Sean Zak and James Colgan discuss the biggest moments, feelings, and takeaways from a most unexpected golf valentine.
1. Gentlemen, it’s nearly 1 a.m. in Chicago but I won’t be sleeping anytime soon because Anthony Kim just won on LIV Golf. It’s outright impossible to put everything about his story, his years away from the game, his battle with drug abuse and even his struggles since returning. But on Sunday in Australia, he shot 63 to beat Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau. What are you thinking right now?
Dylan Dethier, senior writer: Impossible. That’s what I keep thinking. No way. Anthony Kim’s early comeback golf was fascinating, compelling theater. But there was no sign that this was coming. He was not competitive in his first two years on LIV. He got relegated. That seemed an anticlimactic but inevitable end to the experiment. I was amazed and impressed that he made it through LIV’s Promotions event to earn his spot back; that was impressive. But chasing down Rahm and Bryson in the final round of LIV’s biggest event is like, six tiers up from there. Shocking on several levels.
Sean Zak, senior writer: I have spent most of the evening just laughing out loud at it. It’s so comically improbable that I couldn’t feel anything but joyous laughter bubbling up. He stared down two of the best players in the world and thumped them by three or more. That was among the most fun golf watches I’ve had in a very, very long time. (Apologies for not acknowledging, like, everything in AK’s past, which is important context!)
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James Colgan, news and features editor: I’m thinking that the last time Anthony Kim won a golf tournament, Instagram didn’t exist. Literally. The fact that your winless streak can span three Presidential administrations, a decade-long disappearance from public life, two years of the most dispiriting tournament golf played by anyone on planet earth … and STILL end with a victory? There are no words. That’s just golf magic.
2. DeChambeau faded early, but Rahm continued to hang around. Kim had to make basically everything. Eventually, he won by three. What was top of mind as you watched it play out?
Dethier Outside of the Ryder Cup, you just don’t see guys fist-pumping a whole lot these days. But AK just kept pouring putts in the middle and unleashing haymakers. He didn’t miss a shot the last…two hours? I kept waiting for the magnitude of the moment to hit, for pressure to trip him up. If anything the opposite happened.
Zak: The last time we saw anyone hoop that many putts to come back and steal a tournament? We were in St. Andrews with Cam Smith. Maybe that’s why I was laughing throughout it. Everything dripped into the center of the cup like there was nowhere else these putts could go. Reminds me of a Paul Azinger phrase from the day after Smith had that birdie barrage at the Old Course: “His putts, they would have fell into a thimble.”
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Colgan: I was thinking about how, every so often, a player experiences several hours in which the hole appears the size of an asteroid crater. And I was thinking about how Anthony Kim was definitely having one of those experiences.
3. Is there a way you can contextualize it all for those who weren’t following Kim’s journey closely?
Dethier: Look, the fascinating thing about Kim isn’t just that he retired young. It’s that he vanished. Off the grid. Out of the public eye. For over a decade, the golf world — outside a small trusted circle — had no idea what he was up to. It felt like a big deal whenever we saw him at all.
Early in this job I wrote up an interaction Kim had with a reader named Ben outside an LA brunch spot. It felt like a big deal at the time; he’d been gone for so long. He said his golf game was “non-existent.” That was seven years ago. Look, I’m not saying he just won the Masters. But for a guy to be that far away from the sport for that long? I just can’t think of any equivalent.
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Zak: This might be a trick question, actually. Because Kim has shared just a snippet of what he really battled. I get the sense that he’s interested in sharing more about his addictions and depression and how that pushed his life right to the edge. Now he’s created the perfect ending, and I think we’ll actually receive a lot more context in the future. I’ll be anxious to learn more when he’s ready.
Colgan: On February 20, 2025, Anthony Kim celebrated two years sober (ironically, given my earlier analogy) on Instagram. He detailed suffering from such serious withdrawal symptoms on his first days in rehab that he needed physical assistance to walk. He suggested he had used drugs while playing in major championships. And THAT story? That story didn’t include the decade he’d spent away or the rest of the golf stuff he needed to work through to get within a hundred miles of a victory … let alone in the winner’s circle.
4. There was a flurry of hugs for Kim in the moments after his win from all kinds of LIV characters. One was CEO of the league, Scott O’Neil, which made me think more about the league at-large. Does this mean anything extra for LIV Golf?
Dethier: I have to be honest: in this moment, I have no idea. In many ways this feels like an Anthony Kim story more than it does a LIV story — but the massive crowds and frenetic energy on site contributed tremendously to a wild night of golf viewing, so the fact that it came at LIV’s flagship event has to be a win.
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I guess here’s what I feel certain of: this was the league’s biggest, realest moment thus far. A genuinely fascinating story intersecting with a genuinely preposterous stretch of golf. You can’t build the whole plane out of AK’s comeback — he can only win for the first time once! — but safe to say they’d take Rahm-Bryson-AK every event the rest of the way.
Zak: Imagine if this happened a week ago, when LIV Golf played under the lights in front of measly crowds in Saudi Arabia. Now throw that image away, because it happened in Adelaide, at what event organizers call the most-attended golf event in the history of Australia. It may not be a LIV story first, but AK gave LIV some of the best visuals it has ever received from the actual competition. Fans crowding in on the 18th hole, AK waving during a champions walk up to the green, champagne showering over him on the green. That trumps any concert-stage-champagne-and-sparklers we’ve seen in the last four years.
Colgan: Of course it does! We’re up at god-knows-what-hour talking about a LIV event! That’s a substantial change from the usual for the league in a very big way. And Sean, to your point about the crowds … serious question: Why doesn’t LIV play MORE events in Australia?
Kim last won a professional golf tournament 16 years ago at the Shell Houston Open and hadn’t finished in the top 25 at all during his first two years on LIV Golf. But after re-earning his spot in the league through their promotions event, Kim took down Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau on Sunday in Australia to hoist a trophy once again.
Before Kim’s 12-year hiatus, he was a Nike staff player and played nearly a full bag of Nike clubs in his last victory.
Since returning, he has had no equipment sponsorships, and his bag has rotated quite a bit. Just like his bag in 2010, he’s still playing muscle-back irons — now the TaylorMade P7TWs — with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts and a Scotty Cameron blade putter.
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Keep reading below for Kim’s complete WITB.
Anthony Kim’s winning clubs at the 2026 LIV Golf Adelaide
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Akwa United head coach Paul Offor has said his team must stay consistent to keep their place at the top of Conference B in the Nigeria National League.
Offor said the club’s main target in the second half of the season is to build on their strong first-round performance and push for promotion.
Akwa United will face Rovers FC at the Uyo Township Stadium on Sunday. The Promise Keepers will be hoping to beat their neighbours again after winning 2–0 in the first leg before the mid-season break.
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The coach also confirmed that the club signed six new players during the transfer window. They are forwards Fredrick Obi and Dada Oladimeji, midfielders Nsikak Raphael, Kingsley Uduak and Aniebiet Sunday, and defender Melvin Ebitimi. He believes the new signings will improve the squad as they chase the only promotion ticket in Conference B.
“We are fully ready for the second round because the boys are in high spirit. We have made the necessary changes and recruitments to ensure we finish strong,” Offor said.
He added that the team must start well against Rovers and keep their focus throughout the season. “Team building and bonding are also important. We want to maintain the consistency we had in the first round while improving where necessary,” he said.
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Offor thanked the club’s management for their support and urged fans to continue backing the team, promising a strong finish to the 2025–26 season.
Starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi in lead roles, Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights is releasing in theaters on February 13, 2026. Based on Emily Brontë’s sole novel of the same title, the film is about the tragic and troubled love story of Catherine Earnshaw (played by Robbie) and Heathcliff (Elordi).
Growing up on the wild Yorkshire moors, their love becomes twisted by pride, jealousy, and social class. When Catherine chooses to marry the wealthy Edgar Linton, Heathcliff is driven by heartbreak and revenge. His bitterness starts to affect everyone around him, including the next generation of both families.
Wuthering Heights musical score is being composed by Anthony Willis. Meanwhile, the film includes original songs by the British singer Charlotte Emma Aitchison, better known as Charli XCX. There are a total of twelve tracks in the film, which include House ft. John Cale, Chains of Love and Altars.
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List of Charli XCX’s songs featured in Wuthering Heights
Here is a list of all Charli’s songs featured in the film:
House (feat. John Cale)
Wall of Sound
Dying for You
Always Everywhere
Chains of Love
Out of Myself
Open Up
Seeing Things
Altars
Eyes of the World (feat. Sky Ferreira)
My Reminder
Funny Mouth
For Charli XCX, the decision to create the music for Wuthering Heights was less about a career move and more about a “creative reset.” Following the success of her 2024 album Brat, the British singer found herself exhausted by the neon-lit, party-centric persona she had built.
When she received a text from Fennell on Christmas 2024, just as the “Brat Summer” hysteria was finally cooling, it offered a way out. Fennell, a longtime fan who had previously used Charli’s Boys in Promising Young Woman, reached out with the script for Wuthering Heights to see if Charli had a response to it.
Fennell’s pitch was simple: she wasn’t looking for period-accurate folk music, but rather something that captured the “primal, sexual, and brutal” energy of Catherine and Heathcliff’s toxic bond. Charli read the script and was inspired by the lack of modern trappings: no cell phones, no sunglasses, just raw Yorkshire moors and human obsession.
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The entire soundtrack album for the film was released the same day as the film on February 13, 2026. The lead single House featuring John Cale was released on November 10, 2025.
Who are in the cast of Wuthering Heights?
A still from the film’s trailer (Image via YouTube/Warner Bros.)
The film features Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi in lead roles of Catherine and Heathcliff. Given below is a list of other cast in the film:
Shazad Latif as Edgar Linton
Alison Oliver as Isabella Linton
Hong Chau as Nelly Dean
Ewan Mitchell as Joseph
Martin Clunes as Mr. Earnshaw
Charlotte Mellington and Owen Cooper played the younger versions of the lead characters in the film.
Controversial Olympic athlete Eileen Gu called out the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) over the tight Olympic schedule she has, which she said will prevent her from getting in the proper training sessions she needs for a freeski event.
Gu, who is representing China during the 2026 Winter Olympics, made her thoughts known after she clinched a spot in the big air final, which takes place Monday. She said competing in the final will take her away from properly practicing for the qualifying round of the halfpipe final, which takes place on Thursday.
China’s Eileen Gu warms up before the women’s freestyle skiing big air qualifications at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
“I’m disappointed in FIS,” she said. “I think the Olympics should epitomize aspiration, and I think being able to do something that’s beyond the ordinary should be celebrated instead of punished.”
Gu said she wasn’t trying to get special treatment, only the same amount of practice time as her competitors. She said she tried to compromise, including joining the snowboarders’ training on the halfpipe. She said the FIS told her it couldn’t make the change because it wouldn’t be fair to the other competitors.
Gu already won silver in slopestyle earlier this week.
China’s Eileen Gu waits for her score as she competes in the women’s freestyle skiing big air qualifications at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
“I think it’s really unfair. I think it’s punishing excellence, to be completely honest with you,” Gu added. “Because I dare to do three events, and this is making it completely impossible to train fairly for the third event.”
FIS scheduled three training sessions before qualifying – an increase from two for a typical World Cup event. The organization’s spokesman, Bruno Sassi, said “every effort has been made to facilitate the best possible training” for the athletes.
Read More About The 2026 Winter Olympics
“But as we have already seen at these Games, for athletes who choose to compete in multiple disciplines and/or multiple events, conflicts can sometimes be inevitable,” he said.
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Gu, who was born in the U.S. but chose to compete for China, hasn’t skied in a halfpipe event since December and hasn’t competed in big air since winning the gold in the 2022 Beijing Games. The halfpipe event is a bit more dangerous than the other two.
Eileen Gu of China reacts after her first jump in the women’s freestyle skiing big air qualification during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 14, 2026.(Joe Camporeale/Imagn Images)
The West Coast Conference’s eventual bid tally for the NCAA Tournament remains a point of significant uncertainty in mid-February after Gonzaga edged Santa Clara 94-86 on Saturday night to take sole possession of first place in the conference standings.
The loss knocked the Broncos into the First Four Out of the CBS Sports Bracketology model on Sunday. Meanwhile, Saint Mary’s remains on the inside of the cut line as one of the Last Four In following its 72-61 win at Pacific. While Gonzaga is a lock to go dancing — the Bulldogs are currently the top team on the No. 4 seed line — the uncertainty around Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara means the WCC could wind up with as many as three bids or as few as one.
A couple of dates to know that will help clarify the picture:
Feb. 25: Saint Mary’s vs. Santa Clara
Feb. 28: Saint Mary’s vs. Gonzaga
In an ideal, bid-maximization scenario for the WCC, Santa Clara would would beat Saint Mary’s and then Saint Mary’s would beat Gonzaga, resulting in both bubble teams earning Quad 1 victories. Of course, it will also be paramount that Santa Clara avoid slipping up in games against San Francisco (Feb. 21) and Oregon State (Feb. 28). Similarly, Saint Mary’s can ill-afford losses to Seattle (Feb. 18) or Washington State (Feb. 21).
The WCC Tournament is just around the corner, and top two seeds get automatic byes to the semifinals. That’s another reason why the stretch run is so important for Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara. They could simplify their paths to the NCAA Tournament by positioning themselves to need just two victories to secure an automatic bid.
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As for other bubble activity following Saturday, one of the big winners was San Diego State, which switched over from the First Four Out to the Last Four In following its 71-57 win over Nevada. Here is the NCAA Tournament bubble breakdown
Bubble status: Next Four Out at Butler | 6 p.m. (FS1)
Seton Hall has been fading, and that’s a shame because this team could be America’s team in the NCAA Tournament. Coach Shaheen Holloway — formerly of Saint Peter’s lore — gets his team to play lockdown defense, and the Pirates have one of the sport’s most fun point guards in the undersized Adam “Budd” Clark. Losing here would be unadvisable in what’s shaping up as a fringe Quad 1 or 2 game.
Nov 5, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Fans react during the League of Legends World Championships between T1 and DRX at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
Aurora Gaming and FUT Esports provided the match of the day Saturday, needing three maps with an overtime round on Day 1 of the PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 event in Romania.
Along with FUT, MOUZ, Team Vitality and The MongolZ also won 2-1 matches, while FURIA, Team Falcons, Natus Vincere and FaZe Clan swept their openers 2-0.
The 16-team Counter-Strike: Global Offensive event begins with a Swiss style format with Saturday’s winners playing Sunday’s Round 2 high matches and the losers playing in the low matches. In Round 3, the four 2-0 teams pair off, as do the four 0-2 teams, and the eight 1-1 teams make up the mid matches.
Two more rounds follow before the eight-team playoff field is set on Wednesday. All matches are best-of-three. The playoffs, which run Feb. 20-22, are single elimination and best-of-three except for the grand final, which is best-of-five.
The $625,000 prize pool awards $225,000 to the winner and $100,000 to the runner-up.
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FUT opened with a 13-6 win on Mirage on Saturday, but Aurora followed with a 16-13 overtime win on Anubis. In the decider, FUT took Overpass 13-6. The other 2-1 results: MOUZ beat PARIVISION, Vitality topped G2 Esports and The MongolZ downed PaiN Gaming.
As for the sweeps: Natus Vincere took care of Astralis, FaZe beat HEROIC, Falcons got by 3DMAX and FURIA topped B8.
Sunday’s PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 matches:
Round 2 High Matches
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–Natus Vincere vs. MOUZ
–Team Falcons vs. FaZe Clan
–FURIA vs. FUT Esports
–Team Vitality vs. The MongolZ
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Round 2 Low Matches
–3DMAX vs. Astralis
–G2 Esports vs. PARIVISION
–Aurora Gaming vs. paiN Gaming
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–B8 vs. Heroic
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 prize pool
1. $225,000
2. $100,000
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3. $68,750
4. $43,750
5-8. $25,000
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9-11. $15,625
12-14: $9,375
15-16. $6,250
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 standings (match record and round difference)
India registered the highest ever total in an India Pakistan contest in T20 World Cup history, posting 175 for seven in 20 overs on a challenging surface at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday.The foundation was laid by opener Ishan Kishan, whose blistering 77 off 40 balls helped India overcome the sluggish nature of the pitch. After Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and opted to bowl, he made an immediate impact by dismissing Abhishek Sharma in the very first over with his off spin. Abhishek attempted a lofted stroke but failed to clear Shaheen Shah Afridi at the edge of the circle.From that point, Kishan took control. He stitched together an 87 run stand with Tilak Varma, although Tilak’s share was modest. Kishan dominated the Pakistan attack, striking Afridi for a fierce pull and then taking on the spinners with authority. He dispatched Agha and Saim Ayub for boundaries and punished Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan as he raced to a 27 ball half century.Just when India looked set for an even bigger score, Ayub triggered a turnaround by removing Kishan and then striking twice in succession to dismiss Tilak and Hardik Pandya. India slipped from 126 for two to 126 for four.Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube steadied the innings with a useful partnership, while Dube countered Usman Tariq and found boundaries late on. A 15 run final over from Shaheen ensured India surged to 175 for seven, a total that set a new benchmark in this storied rivalry.
De Minaur beats Humbert to reach Third Straight Rotterdam Final
Alex de Minaur continued his strong run in Rotterdam with a 6–4, 6–3 win over Ugo Humbert, booking a place in the final for the third consecutive year.
The victory sends de Minaur into the 20th ATP final of his career and improves his 2026 record to 10–2. After losing in the Rotterdam final in each of the past two seasons, the Australian has earned another chance to fight for the title.
Speaking after the match, de Minaur reflected on the achievement.
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“I’m super proud of the efforts. Today there were a lot of tough moments. A lot of break points. A lot of tricky situations. But I managed to kind of dig myself out of them. Super pumped to be here in another final and giving myself another chance of hopefully getting the title.”
De Minaur now stands one win away from lifting the Rotterdam trophy after coming close in the previous two finals.
Controversy now hangs over Canada’s women’s curling team, following cheating allegations against the men’s squad.
Both Canadian curling teams have been accused of the same infraction, double-touching the stone — or touching it again after release.
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The women’s team were called for the rules violation during Saturday’s match versus Switzerland, which Canada lost 8-7. Officials stopped play, ruling that Rachel Homan touched her stone again after releasing it. The stone was removed from the sheet, stunning Canada’s skip.
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Teammate Emma Miskew could be seen asking officials why the call couldn’t be reviewed by video. She was told that the umpire needed to be trusted on such a judgment. Additionally, video is not typically used to review plays during a match under World Curling rules.
After the match, Homan denied that she committed any kind of infraction.
“I don’t understand the call. I’ll never understand it,” Homan added. “We’ve never done that. It has nothing to do with us.”
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Canada’s men’s curling team also accused of double-touching
The double-touching allegation follows the men’s Canadian curling team being accused of the same violation during Friday’s 8-6 victory over defending gold medalist Sweden. Swedish third Oskar Eriksson alleged that Canada’s Marc Kennedy touched the stone as it passed the hog line, after which the player can’t make contact again.
An impassioned Kennedy reiterated while pointing toward himself, “I haven’t done it once.”
Eriksson said back, “I’ll show you a video after the game.”
That exchange briefly dispelled the notion that curling may be the nicest sport of all. Of course, the stakes of competition are higher in the Winter Olympics.
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Canada skip Brad Jacobs responded with his own allegations, asserting that Eriksson’s accusation was “desperate,” the team felt “targeted” and this may be a deliberate tactic by the Swedish team.
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“It felt like that was premeditated,” Jacobs said. “We also heard that they did the same thing against the Italian team. So I don’t know what they’re doing and what they’re trying to pull.”
World Curling clarifies double-touching rules
The dual controversies compelled World Curling to release a statement reminding players, teams and fans of the rules regarding double-touching.
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That included a clarification that re-touching the handle before the stone crosses the hog line is allowed, but touching the granite as it moves forward is not allowed. In light of the accusations against Canada, officials will be “observing the delivery” more closely.
In a press release, World Curling also said the Canadian team was issued a verbal warning for Kennedy’s use of profane language. Citing Rule R.19, the organization added that “further inappropriate behaviour” would result in additional sanctions.
“Improper conduct, foul or offensive language, equipment abuse, or wilful damage on the part of any team member is prohibited. Any violation may result in suspension of the offending person(s) by the curling organisation having jurisdiction.”
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![CRITICAL: Is It Crazy To BUY BITCOIN Now? [My EXACT Plan]](https://wordupnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1771173175_maxresdefault-80x80.jpg)
![Heathrow has said passenger numbers were 60% lower in November than before the coronavirus pandemic and there were “high cancellations” among business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas for Christmas as Omicron spreads. The UK’s largest airport said the government’s travel restrictions had dealt a fresh blow to travel confidence and predicted it was likely to take several years for passenger numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels. This week ministers said passengers arriving in the UK would have to take a pre-departure Covid test, as well as a post-flight test, because of fears about the spread of the new variant. “[The] high level of cancellations by business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas because of pre-departure testing shows the potential harm to the economy of travel restrictions,” the airport said in an update. Heathrow said the drop in traveller confidence owing to the new travel restrictions had negated the benefit of reopening the all-important corridor to North America for business and holiday travel last month. Eleven African countries have been added to the government’s red list, requiring travellers to quarantine before reuniting with families. “By allowing Brits to isolate at home, ministers can make sure they are reunited with their loved ones this Christmas,” said John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow. “It would send a strong signal that restrictions on travel will be removed as soon as safely possible to give passengers the confidence to book for 2022, opening up thousands of new jobs for local people at Heathrow. Let’s reunite families for Christmas.” Heathrow said that if the government could safely signal that restrictions would be lifted soon, then employers at Heathrow would have the confidence to hire thousands of staff in anticipation of a boost in business next summer. The airport is expecting a slow start to 2022, finishing next year with about 45 million passengers – just over half of pre-pandemic levels. This week Tui, Europe’s largest package holiday operator, said it expected bookings for next summer to bounce back to 2019 levels. However, Heathrow said on Friday not to expect the aviation industry to recover for several years. “We do not expect that international travel will recover to 2019 levels until at least all travel restrictions (including testing) are removed from all the markets that we serve, at both ends of the route, and there is no risk of new restrictions, such as quarantine, being imposed,” the airport said.](https://wordupnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_1100012546-scaled-400x240.jpg)
![Heathrow has said passenger numbers were 60% lower in November than before the coronavirus pandemic and there were “high cancellations” among business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas for Christmas as Omicron spreads. The UK’s largest airport said the government’s travel restrictions had dealt a fresh blow to travel confidence and predicted it was likely to take several years for passenger numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels. This week ministers said passengers arriving in the UK would have to take a pre-departure Covid test, as well as a post-flight test, because of fears about the spread of the new variant. “[The] high level of cancellations by business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas because of pre-departure testing shows the potential harm to the economy of travel restrictions,” the airport said in an update. Heathrow said the drop in traveller confidence owing to the new travel restrictions had negated the benefit of reopening the all-important corridor to North America for business and holiday travel last month. Eleven African countries have been added to the government’s red list, requiring travellers to quarantine before reuniting with families. “By allowing Brits to isolate at home, ministers can make sure they are reunited with their loved ones this Christmas,” said John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow. “It would send a strong signal that restrictions on travel will be removed as soon as safely possible to give passengers the confidence to book for 2022, opening up thousands of new jobs for local people at Heathrow. Let’s reunite families for Christmas.” Heathrow said that if the government could safely signal that restrictions would be lifted soon, then employers at Heathrow would have the confidence to hire thousands of staff in anticipation of a boost in business next summer. The airport is expecting a slow start to 2022, finishing next year with about 45 million passengers – just over half of pre-pandemic levels. This week Tui, Europe’s largest package holiday operator, said it expected bookings for next summer to bounce back to 2019 levels. However, Heathrow said on Friday not to expect the aviation industry to recover for several years. “We do not expect that international travel will recover to 2019 levels until at least all travel restrictions (including testing) are removed from all the markets that we serve, at both ends of the route, and there is no risk of new restrictions, such as quarantine, being imposed,” the airport said.](https://wordupnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_1100012546-scaled-80x80.jpg)
