11/02/2002

UK Airport passenger numbers continue to fall

The British Airports Authority has revealed that passenger numbers at the UK's main airports fell again last month.

However, while BAA said that 7.9 million passengers passed through the UK's main airports in January, the pace of the decline was beginning to slow.

The Authority also reported a surge in travel between the UK and Ireland, citing heavy discounting by Irish carriers such as Ryanair and Easyjet.

BAA, which runs seven UK airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, saw traffic figures fall steeply following the September 11 attacks in the United States.

In October, passenger numbers dropped by a record 12 per cent on the year as worried travellers shunned air transport or cancelled trips altogether following the attacks.

The key transatlantic market, which was hit hardest by last year's slump in passenger numbers, posted the strongest recovery last month, with the passenger shortfall narrowing from 13 per cent on the year in December to just over 10 per cent. (MB)

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