Fewer passengers fly from JLA
LIVERPOOL John Lennon Airport has blamed the poor economic environment for a 7.5% drop in passenger numbers.
JLA’s latest filed accounts show the number of people passing through the airport in the year to March 31 fell by 418,000 to 5.1 million.
The airport recorded an operating profit of £3.8m, down 15%, but interest charges of £5.24m pushed the business to a £1.3m pre-tax loss, compared with a £549,159 loss last time. A tax credit of £1.1m left JLA with a loss for the year of £179,052.
In their report the directors said the economic environment combined with a significant downturn in consumer spending contributed to the performance. They also took the opportunity to rail against the Government’s, “ill thought policy on continued taxation of the industry”.
The report added: “The industry has been feeling growing pressure from the Government from increased taxation of the aviation sector in the form of growing APD [Air Passenger Duty] which further distorts competition in the domestic and international sector.
“Peel Airports have been advocating for a reduction in the APD which continues to damage the regional and national economy as the air traffic levels at UK airports continue to decline. We believe the APD should be scrapped and competition restored across the European market.”
Most of Liverpool’s passenger fly with either Easyjet or Ryanair which handled 2.3 million and 2.4 million passengers respectively.
The volume of cargo passing through the airport fell by 19% to 3,000 tonnes. JLA said this was down to the temporary suspension of TNT air services due to the decline in international trade.
Airport spokesman Robin Tudor said passenger numbers had started to improve since the March year-end, helped by new flights by Dutch operator KLM.
He said: “The winter of 2008-09 was a tough period with numbers down 22% in February and 21% in March. But in April we were down 7% and 6% in July. By no means are we out of it but we’re over the worst period and we remain optimistic moving forward.”
