16-Mar-2010 12:02 PM

UK CAA reports traffic highlights

Direct News Source

UK airports handled 218 million passengers during the 2009 calendar year according to figures published today by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), a fall of 7.3 percent (17 million) on 2008, the biggest decline in passenger numbers at UK airports since records began.

Commenting on the numbers, Harry Bush, CAA Director of Economic Regulation, said: "Today's figures show the biggest fall in passenger numbers since the second world war, highlighting the enormous impact the recession has had on the aviation industry. Passenger numbers are now back to the level they were six years ago and, although they will certainly rebound, the pace of recovery is uncertain and it could be a number of years before they reach their peak level again."

The decrease in passenger numbers was more marked in the first quarter of the year, with a drop of 12.5 per cent over the same period in 2008. Later in the year, the rate of decline eased with passenger numbers in the last quarter of 2009 down only 3.8 per cent compared with the same quarter in 2008. Furthermore, some segments of demand were already showing growth in the latter part of 2009. Passengers travelling to and from international destinations other than geographical Europe and North America grew by four per cent in the second half of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008. Other data, also published today by the CAA, suggests that the weakening of the pound has reduced demand for Eurozone holidays from UK residents, an effect only partially offset by an increase in holiday travel to the UK by Eurozone residents.

Regional airports were proportionately more affected than London airports:

o At the London airports - Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City - the fall was 4.9 per cent overall, with the largest declines in percentage terms at London City (14.2 per cent), Stansted (10.7 per cent) and Luton (10.4 per cent). Conversely, Heathrow had the smallest decline amongst London airports, serving 66 million passengers in 2009, 1.5 per cent (one million) fewer than in 2008. Gatwick handled 32 million passengers, 5.3 per cent (1.8 million) fewer than in 2008.

o At the regional airports - those other than the London airports - traffic contracted by 10.7 per cent to 88 million passengers. Manchester airport, the largest regional airport, saw passenger numbers fall by 11.5 per cent (2.4 million), whereas at Birmingham airport they fell by five per cent (483 thousand).

In 2009, 21 million passengers took UK domestic flights, representing a fall of eight per cent (1.9 million) on 2008. This notable reduction in domestic passengers continues a trend apparent for a number of years.

Another theme is the decline in passenger numbers on charter airlines, a drop of 17 per cent (five million) to 24 million in 2009 compared with 2008. The reduction for scheduled airlines was less, with six percent (12 million) fewer passengers in 2009 than in 2008.

During 2009, air transport movements (landings and take-offs of commercial aircraft) at UK airports fell by 8.8 per cent to 2.1 million, which is also the largest annual fall since the 1940s. This fall, combined with 2008's 2.2 per cent decline, brought air transport movements to levels not seen since 2003.