Regional air passenger numbers double, CAA reports

A report by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has found that passenger numbers at UK regional airports have more than doubled since 1990.

The CAA found that in Bristol, Liverpool and Nottingham, international scheduled passenger numbers rose by more than ten-fold.

Manchester airport was named the biggest UK regional airport in the report, in terms of both total passenger numbers and international scheduled passengers.

The CAA report said that that the biggest growth was in scheduled European flights, which they attributed to the liberalisation of the EU aviation market in 1993, which led to an increase in budget airlines. However, the report also found that air travel between the regions and London had increased by 73%, due to a greater choice of airports, more flights and lower prices.

The report also noted that regional airports had a more commercial approach than they had in the past and were now actively seeking out new business. The CAA said that the increase in passenger numbers had given the airports the opportunity to improve facilities and introduce competitive prices, which in turn attracted even more passengers.

Commenting on the report, Harry Bush, Group Director, Economic Regulation, said: "The study shows how UK regional airports and the airlines that serve them have expanded their networks and now provide a much richer set of travel choices for their customers. The growth in services to European cities has been particularly strong, showing how well the opportunities afforded by the liberalisation of the EU aviation market have been exploited. The challenge for policymakers is to build on the success so far by continuing to allow the interplay of commercially-minded airports and airlines to improve service and increase choice for consumers, which in turn can help to deliver broad regional development aims."

(KMcA/SP)