Passengers through UK airports increase
Passenger numbers at the UK’s leading airports soared again last month, it was announced today.
The seven UK airports run by airport operator BAA handled a total of 12.5 million passengers in September 2003 – a 2.6% increase on the same month last year.
With long-haul traffic improving after the Iraq war, Heathrow passenger numbers rose 0.5% last month.
Southampton had a huge 71.4% rise in September 2003, and Stansted rose by 18.2%, but Gatwick, with holiday traffic falling, had a 4.0% fall.
In Scotland, Glasgow airport handled 3.6% more passengers last month than in September 2002, while Edinburgh was up 10%.
Aberdeen, though, felt the effects of continued weakness in the oil industry and recorded a fall of 0.6%.
European scheduled services were the strongest performing market – up 7.6%.
Overall, while north Atlantic traffic recovered to be only 1.1% down on the month, total long-haul routes gained 1.5%, but European charter traffic fell by 7.5%.
