Low-cost and long-haul boost BAA annual traffic figures

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The airport operator acknowledges a return to growth on long-haul routes as it announces encouraging year-end passenger numbers

Strong growth in low-cost traffic and a recovery on long haul routes has boosted passenger numbers at BAA's UK airports. The airport operator's seven facilities ended the fiscal year to March 31 2004 with traffic up 4.4%, at 133.4m passengers. Long haul routes excluding north Atlantic services grew by 4.8% over the year and March figures, up 20% on the same period last year, suggesting that the recovery is gathering pace.

Low-cost traffic maintained its strong growth, reflected in a rise in European scheduled traffic (up 8.4% for the year) and in greater numbers at Stansted (15.9%) and Southampton (72.8%) airports. Heathrow and Gatwick airports also reported continued traffic growth, to over 64m and 30m passengers respectively.

North Atlantic routes remained depressed, with traffic growing 0.3% throughout the year, although growth of 12.1% in March points to a rebound in travellers' confidence. BAA reported that growth on north American services was particularly strong at Heathrow, with numbers growing by 16.6% last month.