BAA traffic continues recovery

Emily Pacey

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Passenger levels at BAA UK airports showed continued signs of recovery in September in the wake of the Gate Gourmet strike

BAA's seven UK airports welcomed 3% more passengers this September than in the same month last year, showing a sustained recovery in the wake of August's Gate Gourmet strike that affected most British Airways flights at London Heathrow.
 
Together the seven UK airports handled 13.5m passengers in September. After experiencing a drop in volume in August, north Atlantic routes returned to growth with an increase of 3.1% last month. Traffic figures on other long-haul flights collectively grew by 8.6%.
 
European scheduled traffic rose by 4.2% in September, but European charter traffic continued its decline, dipping by 7.4%.
 
All BAA UK airports recorded increases in passenger numbers in September. Southampton grew fastest at 18.5%. Stansted rose by 5% and Heathrow and Gatwick were up by 1.4% and 2.9% respectively.
 
In Scotland, a resurgence in oil industry activity and the biennial oil industry conference helped to promote passenger growth of 10% at Aberdeen. Edinburgh recorded gains of 6.9%, and Glasgow of 2.1%.