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Europe / Airports
UK handled 17m fewer passengers in 2009
By Doug Newhouse, 18 March 2010
According to figures published by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) this week, UK airports handled an astonishing 17m (7.3%) fewer passengers in 2009 versus 2008 - the largest annual decline for 65 years and the first time that numbers have fallen for two consecutive years, reducing passenger numbers to levels not seen since 2004. The total number of arriving and departing EU passengers at UK airports declined from 123.5m in 2008 to 111.8m in 2009, while all other international passengers fell from 65.8m in 2008 to 64.1m in 2009.
Traffic declined most markedly in the first quarter last year, with the rate of decline easing as the year progressed, leaving the UK's total airport passenger numbers at 218m during the 2009 calendar year.
The CAA says that there was a drop of -12.5% in the first quarter of last year compared with 2008, although later in the year, the rate of decline eased with passenger numbers in the last quarter of 2009 down only 3.8% compared with the same quarter in 2008.
Furthermore, some segments of demand were already showing growth in the latter part of 2009. Passengers travelling to and from international destinations - other than geographical Europe and North America - grew by 4% in the second half of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008.
EURO ZONE HOLIDAY BOOKINGS DOWN
Other data, also published this week by the CAA, suggests that the weakening of the pound has reduced demand for Eurozone holidays from UK residents, an effect only partially offset by an increase in holiday travel to the UK by Eurozone residents.
In its report, the CAA notes that regional airports were proportionately more affected than London airports. At London's airports - Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City - the fall was -4.9% overall, with the largest declines in percentage terms at London City (-14.2%), Stansted (-10.7%) and Luton (-10.4%).
Conversely, Heathrow had the smallest decline amongst London airports, serving 66m passengers in 2009, 1.5% - or one million fewer passengers than in 2008. Gatwick handled 32m passengers, a -5.3% fall on 2008 translating into 1.8m fewer passengers last year.
Meanwhile, at regional airports - excluding the aforementioned London airports - traffic contracted by -10.7% to 88m passengers. Manchester Airport, the largest regional airport, saw passenger numbers fall by -11.5% with 2.4m less passengers, while Birmingham Airport's 2009 traffic fell by -5%, with 483,000 less passengers.
DECLINING DOMESTIC TRAFFIC TREND
The CAA also points out that in 2009, 21m passengers took UK domestic flights, representing a fall of -8% or 1.9m passengers compared with 2008. It says that this notable reduction in domestic passengers continues a trend that has been apparent for a number of years.
Another theme is the decline in passenger numbers using charter airlines, where there was a drop of -17% or 5m fewer passengers in 2009, leaving a total of 24m in this category last year. The reduction for scheduled airlines was -6%, representing 12m fewer passengers in 2009 than in 2008.
During 2009, air transport movements (landings and take-offs of commercial aircraft) at UK airports also fell by 8.8% to 2.1m, which is also the largest annual fall since the 1940s. This decline - combined with 2008's -2.2% decline, brought air transport movements down to levels not seen since 2003.
Commenting on the numbers, Harry Bush, CAA Director of Economic Regulation, said: "Today's figures show the biggest fall in passenger numbers since the second world war, highlighting the enormous impact the recession has had on the aviation industry. Passenger numbers are now back to the level they were six years ago and, although they will certainly rebound, the pace of recovery is uncertain and it could be a number of years before they reach their peak level again."
IMPORTANT TRAFFIC TRENDS
In 2009, the 126m-strong majority of UK airport passengers were bound for, or arriving from, geographical Europe - representing a fall of -8% compared with 2008. Within this, the largest absolute increase was in passengers travelling to and from Turkey, up by 544,000, an increase of 12%.
The largest fall in passengers travelling to and from an individual European country was recorded in Spain (including the Canary Islands), where numbers fell by -12% or by 4.1m in absolute numbers.
There was also a -10% decrease equal to 2.2m in passengers on flights to and from North America, to 19.5m in 2009. Passengers travelling to and from the remaining international destinations outside of Europe and North America totalled 30.2m in 2009, a slight increase of 0.7% on 2008.
NUMBERS BY NATIONALITY OF CARRIER
According to the CAA, 56% or 108m scheduled passengers at UK airports travelled on UK airlines. Of the remainder, 29%, or 56.3m, travelled on EU airlines, and 28.8m on non-EU airlines. Between 2008 and 2009, scheduled passengers carried by UK airlines to and from the UK fell by -7%, or 8m, whereas EU airlines carried -5% less with three million. Non-EU airlines' scheduled passengers declined by -3%, or by 800,000 in absolute numbers.
A RICH SOURCE OF DATA
The CAA produces a comprehensive range of aviation data, all of which may be viewed free of charge on the CAA website at: www.caa.co.uk/statistics"
By Doug Newhouse, 18 March 2010
According to figures published by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) this week, UK airports handled an astonishing 17m (7.3%) fewer passengers in 2009 versus 2008 - the largest annual decline for 65 years and the first time that numbers have fallen for two consecutive years, reducing passenger numbers to levels not seen since 2004. The total number of arriving and departing EU passengers at UK airports declined from 123.5m in 2008 to 111.8m in 2009, while all other international passengers fell from 65.8m in 2008 to 64.1m in 2009.
Traffic declined most markedly in the first quarter last year, with the rate of decline easing as the year progressed, leaving the UK's total airport passenger numbers at 218m during the 2009 calendar year.
The CAA says that there was a drop of -12.5% in the first quarter of last year compared with 2008, although later in the year, the rate of decline eased with passenger numbers in the last quarter of 2009 down only 3.8% compared with the same quarter in 2008.
Furthermore, some segments of demand were already showing growth in the latter part of 2009. Passengers travelling to and from international destinations - other than geographical Europe and North America - grew by 4% in the second half of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008.
EURO ZONE HOLIDAY BOOKINGS DOWN
Other data, also published this week by the CAA, suggests that the weakening of the pound has reduced demand for Eurozone holidays from UK residents, an effect only partially offset by an increase in holiday travel to the UK by Eurozone residents.
In its report, the CAA notes that regional airports were proportionately more affected than London airports. At London's airports - Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City - the fall was -4.9% overall, with the largest declines in percentage terms at London City (-14.2%), Stansted (-10.7%) and Luton (-10.4%).
Conversely, Heathrow had the smallest decline amongst London airports, serving 66m passengers in 2009, 1.5% - or one million fewer passengers than in 2008. Gatwick handled 32m passengers, a -5.3% fall on 2008 translating into 1.8m fewer passengers last year.
Meanwhile, at regional airports - excluding the aforementioned London airports - traffic contracted by -10.7% to 88m passengers. Manchester Airport, the largest regional airport, saw passenger numbers fall by -11.5% with 2.4m less passengers, while Birmingham Airport's 2009 traffic fell by -5%, with 483,000 less passengers.
DECLINING DOMESTIC TRAFFIC TREND
The CAA also points out that in 2009, 21m passengers took UK domestic flights, representing a fall of -8% or 1.9m passengers compared with 2008. It says that this notable reduction in domestic passengers continues a trend that has been apparent for a number of years.
Another theme is the decline in passenger numbers using charter airlines, where there was a drop of -17% or 5m fewer passengers in 2009, leaving a total of 24m in this category last year. The reduction for scheduled airlines was -6%, representing 12m fewer passengers in 2009 than in 2008.
During 2009, air transport movements (landings and take-offs of commercial aircraft) at UK airports also fell by 8.8% to 2.1m, which is also the largest annual fall since the 1940s. This decline - combined with 2008's -2.2% decline, brought air transport movements down to levels not seen since 2003.
Commenting on the numbers, Harry Bush, CAA Director of Economic Regulation, said: "Today's figures show the biggest fall in passenger numbers since the second world war, highlighting the enormous impact the recession has had on the aviation industry. Passenger numbers are now back to the level they were six years ago and, although they will certainly rebound, the pace of recovery is uncertain and it could be a number of years before they reach their peak level again."
IMPORTANT TRAFFIC TRENDS
In 2009, the 126m-strong majority of UK airport passengers were bound for, or arriving from, geographical Europe - representing a fall of -8% compared with 2008. Within this, the largest absolute increase was in passengers travelling to and from Turkey, up by 544,000, an increase of 12%.
The largest fall in passengers travelling to and from an individual European country was recorded in Spain (including the Canary Islands), where numbers fell by -12% or by 4.1m in absolute numbers.
There was also a -10% decrease equal to 2.2m in passengers on flights to and from North America, to 19.5m in 2009. Passengers travelling to and from the remaining international destinations outside of Europe and North America totalled 30.2m in 2009, a slight increase of 0.7% on 2008.
NUMBERS BY NATIONALITY OF CARRIER
According to the CAA, 56% or 108m scheduled passengers at UK airports travelled on UK airlines. Of the remainder, 29%, or 56.3m, travelled on EU airlines, and 28.8m on non-EU airlines. Between 2008 and 2009, scheduled passengers carried by UK airlines to and from the UK fell by -7%, or 8m, whereas EU airlines carried -5% less with three million. Non-EU airlines' scheduled passengers declined by -3%, or by 800,000 in absolute numbers.
A RICH SOURCE OF DATA
The CAA produces a comprehensive range of aviation data, all of which may be viewed free of charge on the CAA website at: www.caa.co.uk/statistics"
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OLDER NEWS IN THIS REGION
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• Aldeasa opens up 2,900sq m in Malaga T3 (15 March 2010)
• BAA traffic rises by 2.4% (15 March 2010)
• BA cabin crew union calls 7-day strikes (12 March 2010)
• BA and union negotiators fail their passengers (17 March 2010)
• ECC appoints new Chairman (16 March 2010)
• Nuance opens at Toulouse (16 March 2010)
• Regional airports call for concerted effort (16 March 2010)
• European cruise passengers up 12% in 2009 (16 March 2010)
• Zurich Airport shows good growth (16 March 2010)
• Aldeasa opens up 2,900sq m in Malaga T3 (15 March 2010)
• BAA traffic rises by 2.4% (15 March 2010)
• BA cabin crew union calls 7-day strikes (12 March 2010)
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