Passenger growth slows to 2.4% at UK airports
The rate of growth in passengers flying from UK airports slowed to 2.4% in 2007, the slowest in the last decade.
According to the latest figures released by the Civil Aviation Authority, UK airports handled 241 million passengers during 2007.
“This growth is slower than that seen over the last decade and continues a trend which began in 2005,†said a CAA spokesman.
During 2007, landings and take-offs of commercial aircraft at UK airports grew by 1.8% to 2.5 million.
At the London airports – Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City – the increase was 2.6%, with the largest increases at London City (15.9% up) and Luton (5.8% up).
The London airports accounted for 58% of total UK passenger numbers, compared to 58.2% in 2006.
They saw an increase of 2.8 million terminal passengers, or 2% more than in 2006.
The biggest growth in passenger numbers at the London airports was at Gatwick, which served a million more passengers in 2007 than in 2006.
Heathrow, Luton and London City all handled over half a million more passengers each.
London City saw its fourth consecutive year of double-digit percentage growth and is now handling over 2% of all London passengers.
Meanwihle, at regional airports traffic grew by 2.9% to 101 million passengers.
Of the UK airport passengers in 2007, the majority (139.0 million) were bound for, or arriving from Europe – representing an increase of 3.1% from 2006.
The largest increases were in passengers to and from Poland (up by 30.7%), Italy (up by 6%), and Spain (1.8%).
There were 22.4 million passengers on flights to and from North America, an increase from 21.7 million in 2006, and a reversal of the decline in passengers to and from North America seen in 2006.
In 2007, 25.3 million passengers were on domestic flights. This represents a fall of 1.9% on 2006, and is the only market segment where passenger numbers are not increasing.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026