Airports report highest passenger numbers since recession began
AIRPORT passenger numbers are at the highest since the recession, signalling signs of recovery.
Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) recorded 1,297,676 passengers in 2012
Almost half — 611,382 people — used Inverness Airport.
It came despite the number of flights at the company’s network of 11 airports dropping slightly compared to the previous 12 months.
“The aviation industry has emerged from one of the most challenging downturns in its history,” said Grenville Johnston, chairman of HIAL.
“At HIAL, we have been working hard, with our airline partners, to provide a diverse network of routes, some of them lifeline, others more geared towards the business and tourism sector.
“Collectively, these routes play an important role in driving Scotland’s regional economy. Our airports are amongst the most peripheral in the UK, serving parts of Scotland where air is the only practical form of long-distance travel. So, it is vital that we redouble our efforts to ensure these communities remain connected.”
He pointed to the success of the Inverness to Amsterdam service, now in its third year, and the introduction of new flights from the Highland capital to Geneva, as well as new Sunday flights from Glasgow to Campbeltown. However, he said the withdrawal of key services at Dundee and in the Western Isles, and the threat to links between the regions and London, presented ongoing challenges.
A milder winter and ongoing efforts to improve efficiencies and reduce costs resulted in an improved financial performance.
The HIAL group, which is wholly owned by Scottish ministers and receives a public subsidy, reduced its operating loss from £969,000 in 2011
Ongoing focus on reducing costs, and on securing new streams of income, was credited by Inglis Lyon, HIAL’s managing director, for the improvements.
“Investing for future growth remains a key priority, particularly as passenger numbers continue to grow,” he added, stressing his determination to provide a route network that supports social mobility and fosters economic growth.
“The success of Flybe’s Inverness to Amsterdam service illustrates the enormous benefits that air travel brings to the regional economy, both in terms of connecting businesses and supporting inbound tourism.”
Last year HIAL invested more than £8 million on capital projects across its airports, including £1m to strengthen the south apron at Inverness, allowing larger aircraft to park closer to the terminal building and the first phase of a £7m group-wide investment in 20 state-of-the-art fire tenders.
A new in-house training programme for fire service recruits, the first of its kind in the UK, has resulted in significant savings for the business and delivered a more rounded training regime for firefighters. It is among innovative measures being used to reduce costs further.