UK airports show 3% passenger growth in 2006

UK airports handled 235 million passengers last year, up by almost 3% on 2005, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.

Air transport movements grew by 2% from 2005 to a total of 2.4 million. 

Passengers at UK airports were mainly flying to and from destinations in Europe. The number of flights to or from Europe totalled 134 million, an increase of 5 million (4%) on 2005. The largest growth was on routes to Poland, up by 1.5 million passengers (an increase of 80%), Ireland, up by 0.6 million (5%) and Germany, up by 0.6 million (5%), according to the CAA figures.

The next most popular destinations were other UK airports and North America. There were 26 million passengers on UK domestic flights, down by 1% (0.2 million) on 2005, and 22 million North America passengers, down by 1% (0.2 million).

The total number of passengers from UK airports to all other destinations in the world was 29 million, an increase of 10% (3 million). The largest passenger growth was seen on routes to the Indian subcontinent, up by 0.8 million (30%), North Africa, up by 0.7 million (25%), and the Middle East, up by 0.5 million (13%).

The proportion of passengers at UK airports flying on UK scheduled airlines fell slightly but remained above 50% for the second consecutive year, with an increase of 2 million passengers on 2005. 

This contrasts with the proportion of passengers at UK airports flying on UK charter carriers which, at 13% in 2006, continued to fall. Passenger numbers on UK charter airlines dropped by 2% or 0.5 million on 2005, the CAA said.

Passenger numbers at the five main London airports – Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City – grew by 2% to 137 million passengers.

The biggest increases were at Stansted, up by 1.7 million, and Gatwick, up by 1.4 million.  London City Airport saw an increase of 0.4 million, a rise of 18%. 

Traffic at the UK’s regional airports grew by 4% to a total of 98 million passengers. Among the 10 largest regional airports, the fastest growing were Liverpool, up by 13%, 0.6 million more passengers, and Nottingham East Midlands, up by 13%, 0.5 million more passengers. Manchester Airport continued to handle the most passengers outside London, with 22 million.

Over the last ten years passenger numbers at regional airports have doubled from 48 million in 1996 to 98 million in 2006.  Over the same period, traffic at the London airports has grown from 88 million passengers in 1996 to 137 million in 2006.

The total number of passengers carried from UK airports by non-UK EU airlines was 58 million in 2006, up by 8% from 2005’s total of 53 million.  

This compares with 148 million passengers carried by UK airlines, up 2 million since 2005; and the 30 million passengers carried by non-EU airlines, up by 1 million.

by Phil Davies