UK Airport Use Falls 13%

The number of people using airports in the UK has fallen significantly in the first part of 2009, according the Civil Aviation Authority. For the first quarter of 2009, there were 6.4 million, or 13 percent, fewer travelers passing through airport than there were in the same period for 2008. That comes on an overall decrease in passengers in 2008, the first yearly drop for British airports since 1991.

The biggest victim of the downturn has been transatlantic travel, with a fall of 15 percent in traffic across the ocean. The decline in the banking industry has been a major contributor to this and the weak pound has put off many tourists. Domestic aviation fell by 8.7 percent as well, and the largest market, to Europe, dropped 7.3 percent.

The fall in European traffic was alleviated somewhat by the strength of low-cost carriers such as Ryanair and EasyJet, which have become major players. One benefit of the drop in traffic has been an increase in on-time flights as well as an easier time getting through security. The planned expansion of several British airports, however, has been put in jeopardy. The opening date for a second runway at Stansted Airport has been pushed back to 2017.

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