Mixed fortunes for region’s airports
LIVERPOOL’s John Lennon Airport (JLA) is the only airport in England to witness an increase in passenger numbers in January, according to new survey.
The airport, which is owned by Peel Airports Group, saw an 7.9% increase in passengers according to a research published by aviation intelligence specialist anna.aero.
Manchester and Blackpool Airports saw a decrease in passenger numbers of 14% and 11.9% respectively.
The new figures reassert JLA’s position as one of the UK’s busiest airports which has experienced an 8% year-on-year increase.
It was also the third consecutive month that Liverpool has seen passenger growth – with 8% and 7% increases in November and December respectively – having experienced an 18 month decline in passenger throughput prior to this, due to the effects of the economic downturn.
The only other UK airport to experience growth was Belfast City which recorded a 10.4% increase in passenger numbers.
JLA’s position has been strengthened this year with two new airlines launching services – KLM’s Amsterdam service with onward connections to 650 destinations across the world last March and Eastern Airways’ domestic services to Aberdeen and Southampton in the summer.
In total some 16 new routes commenced from carriers including easyjet, Ryanair, and Wizz Air, taking this Winter’s programme of flights above last Winter’s and accounting for the recent growth in business.
A number of new services have already been announced for 2010 by easyjet and Ryanair, including Rhodes, Bodrum, Malta, Isle of Man, Fuerteventura, Rimini, Trapani and Lodz.
Ryanair also announced that Szczecin, in Poland, will also be added this year and just last week KLM announced the addition of a fourth departure to Amsterdam.
The airport has also embarked on a £12m development program including the expansion of its departure lounge which is to be completed by Autumn 2010.
Mark Whitworth, Peel Airports Group chief executive said: “To see the Airport start to grow its business once again at a time when many others across the UK are still experiencing a decline in business, is a reflection of the confidence we and our airline customers have in making Liverpool one of the country’s top airports.
“When Peel first invested in the Airport in 1997, we were the UK’s 18th largest airport and to now break into the top 10 for the first time is a tremendous achievement for all involved at the Airport.
“Back then just three scheduled destinations featured on the airport map. Today an amazing 75 destinations are linked directly by air from here.”
Peel is in the throes of negotiating a deal to sell a stake in the loss-making airports business to a Canadian operator, Vancouver Airport Services.
