BAA`s seven UK airports recorded a total of 12.3 million passengers in May…
BAA`s seven UK airports recorded a total of 12.3 million passengers in May, an increase of 5.0% on the same month last year.
During the month all airports recorded gains. Flybe`s expansion of routes helped Southampton record the largest gain, 30.4%, with Stansted recording an increase of 10.7%, and Heathrow and Gatwick making gains of 2.0% and 4.9% respectively. A new daily scheduled service to the US contributed to the 12.3% increase at Edinburgh, while Aberdeen was 10.9% ahead of last year and Glasgow was up by 2.6%.
Across the markets, new low cost services from Gatwick and extra seat capacity from Glasgow stimulated a 10.6% growth on Irish routes. European scheduled traffic was up 7.4%, whilst long haul routes saw an increase of 8.1%. North Atlantic traffic increased by 2.3%. European charter traffic was down 8.6%. Domestic traffic was up 5.7%
Air transport movements were 4.3% higher and cargo tonnage was down by 1.0%.
BAA Scotland overview
Scotland`s three main airports enjoyed a `sporting bounce` last month as major sports events helped spark a big rise in passenger numbers.
Figures released by airport operator BAA Scotland show that 1,787,785 passengers used Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen Airports in May, a rise of 7.6% on the same month last year. In the 12 months to May, BAA Scotland`s airports handled over 19.5 million passengers, up 6.1% on the previous year.
Glasgow Airport was Scotland`s busiest airport last month with 795,732 passengers, up 2.6% on the previous record May. The Scottish Cup Final, held at Hampden, and the Celtic vs Ireland testimonial, held at Celtic Park, helped fuel the rise in passengers. Not surprisingly, flights to and from Dublin performed strongly. Meanwhile, Dubai retained its status as the most popular long haul destination from Glasgow. In the 12 months to May, Glasgow Airport handled 8.6 million passengers, up 5.5% on last year.
The `sporting bounce` was also evident at Edinburgh Airport, with the Heineken Cup Final, held at Murrayfield, attracting thousands of extra visitors to the city. As a result, passenger numbers rose by 12.3% to 749,560. On the domestic front, flights to Manchester and Leeds Bradford enjoyed the strongest growth. International traffic also performed well, with Barcelona, Copenhagen and Alicante proving particularly popular. In the 12 months to May, Edinburgh Airport handled 8.1 million passengers, a rise of 6.4% on the same month last year.
Aberdeen Airport continued its strong run of growth, handling 242,493 passengers, an increase of 10.9% on May last year. Both domestic and international services saw strong growth, with Luton, Newcastle and Humberside the strongest domestic performers, and Bergen, Groningen and Amsterdam the biggest growing international services. In the 12 months to May, Aberdeen Airport handled 2.7 million passengers, up 7.1% on last year. In annual terms, Aberdeen is now the fastest growing of BAA Scotland`s three airports.
Across all three airports, and in line with current industry trends, international charter flights saw a marked drop in passenger numbers. The downturn is largely the result of scheduled carriers now serving traditional holiday destinations once the sole preserve of charter airlines. As a result, charter companies are increasingly opting to fly to more distant destinations such as Turkey, Egypt and the Caribbean.
Donal Dowds, managing director of BAA Scotland, said: BAA Scotland`s three airports enjoyed a record month in May, drawing thousands of international visitors to Scotland for the Scottish Cup Final in Glasgow and the Heineken Cup Final in Edinburgh. As the country prepares for the G8 Summit, our gateway airports will be gearing up to welcome record numbers of visitors to Scotland this summer.
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