Passenger numbers down at JLA

LIVERPOOL John Lennon Airport (JLA) has seen a sharp decline in passenger numbers.

The airport handled 370,000 fewer travellers in the first half of 2009 compared with the same period last year.

The drop has been blamed on the recession which has hit passengers numbers throughout the world.

Some 2.25m passengers passed through JLA during the half-year, down on the 2.6m passengers seen in the same period in 2008.

But the airport, which is owned by property and transport group Peel Holdings, saw an improvement in the second quarter.

Robin Tudor, the airport’s spokesman, said: “We’re bucking the trend at the moment by picking up new business and remain optimistic.”