Declines continue to reflect difficult economic circumstances, but underlying airport traffic trends improving
- Best underlying group figures since September 2008
- Edinburgh Airport traffic grows for third consecutive month
- Heathrow’s network strength remains evident
BAA traffic commentary: June 2009
BAA's UK airports handled a total of 12.7 million passengers in June, a reduction of 5.9% on the same month last year.
Traffic volumes remain in decline but the latest figures represent the best underlying Group result since September 2008. In June, traffic volumes were at their highest for nine months, setting aside the distortion in April and March's figures due to the fact that Easter fell in April this year and in March in 2008.
Although all key markets were lower in June than a year earlier, all except the European Charter market improved on their performance for the last six months. Domestic traffic was 8.1% down in June and European Scheduled by 2.8%. North Atlantic traffic was 9.4% lower, but Other Long Haul was almost level with last year at -0.2%.
Of the individual airports, Heathrow recorded a decline of 3.1%, stronger than the other airports because of its hub status and the resultant growth in transfer passengers.
Gatwick was 7.6% down on last year, Stansted was 11.5% down and Southampton was 7.9% down. For the third consecutive month, Edinburgh Airport ( 1.4%) recorded growth, while Glasgow and Aberdeen recorded decreases of 10.9% and 9.8% respectively.
In total the number of air transport movements at BAA's UK airports was 6.3% lower in June. The decline in cargo activity continued but for the second month in succession there was a marked shrinkage in the rate of decrease. This had been 21.8% in April but was 13.7% in June.
BAA traffic summary: June 2009
Terminal passengers (000s) | Month | % change | Jan to Jun 2009 | % change | Jul 2008 to Jun 2009 | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heathrow | 5,775.8 | -3.1 | 31,230.8 | -3.8 | 65,670.8 | -3.0 |
Gatwick | 3,069.9 | -7.6 | 14,783.1 | -9.8 | 32,574.8 | -8.2 |
Stansted | 1,839.9 | -11.5 | 9,233.1 | -14.4 | 20,787.6 | -10.5 |
London area total | 10,685.6 | -5.9 | 55,247.0 | -7.4 | 119,033.1 | -5.9 |
Southampton | 172.5 | -7.9 | 835.9 | -12.7 | 1,829.9 | -8.9 |
Glasgow | 736.6 | -10.9 | 3,342.1 | -12.5 | 7,657.9 | -10.3 |
Edinburgh | 871.3 | 1.4 | 4,256.2 | -1.9 | 8,910.0 | -2.5 |
Aberdeen | 272.4 | -9.8 | 1,435.9 | -11.2 | 3,131.4 | -8.1 |
Scottish total | 1,880.3 | -5.4 | 9,034.2 | -7.6 | 19,699.2 | -6.6 |
UK total | 12,738.4 | -5.9 | 65,117.2 | -7.5 | 140,562.3 | -6.0 |
Naples | 510.1 | -7.5 | 2,396.1 | -11.6 | 5,288.3 | -10.0 |
Air transport movements | Month | % change | Jan to Jun 2009 | % change | Jul 2008 to Jun 2009 | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heathrow | 39,230 | -2.4 | 229,856 | -2.5 | 467,302 | -1.9 |
Gatwick | 22,331 | -6.6 | 116,250 | -7.8 | 246,562 | -5.6 |
Stansted | 13,974 | -12.6 | 74,930 | -16.3 | 162,559 | -12.8 |
London area total | 75,535 | -5.7 | 421,036 | -6.7 | 876,423 | -5.1 |
Southampton | 3,735 | -9.3 | 19,662 | -11.3 | 42,394 | -8.1 |
Glasgow | 7,007 | -14.2 | 36,651 | -14.4 | 80,613 | -11.2 |
Edinburgh | 9,828 | -3.7 | 53,137 | -6.5 | 110,730 | -4.0 |
Aberdeen | 8,536 | -5.6 | 47,671 | -7.1 | 99,577 | -5.0 |
Scottish total | 25,371 | -7.5 | 137,459 | -8.9 | 290,920 | -6.4 |
UK total | 104,641 | -6.3 | 578,157 | -7.4 | 1,209,737 | -5.6 |
Naples | 6,218 | -7.5 | 30,358 | -8.9 | 65,572 | -8.9 |
Cargo (metric tonnes) | Month | % change | Jan to Jun 2009 | % change | Jul 2008 to Jun 2009 | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heathrow | 103,403 | -14.5 | 583,209 | -16.9 | 1,282,343 | -7.1 |
Gatwick | 5,169 | -32.7 | 33,992 | -45.5 | 79,390 | -45.7 |
Stansted | 15,271 | -7.8 | 85,733 | -14.8 | 184,642 | -10.7 |
London area total | 123,843 | -14.7 | 702,934 | -18.7 | 1,546,375 | -10.8 |
Southampton | 18 | -20.7 | 92 | -42.5 | 196 | -39.7 |
Glasgow | 300 | 7.2 | 1,147 | -40.7 | 2,923 | -26.0 |
Edinburgh | 2,020 | 157.7 | 12,201 | 103.1 | 16,438 | -2.5 |
Aberdeen | 429 | 13.6 | 2,605 | 24.0 | 4,603 | 15.8 |
Scottish total | 2,750 | 90.7 | 15,953 | 58.9 | 23,964 | -3.3 |
UK total | 126,611 | -13.7 | 718,979 | -17.8 | 1,570,535 | -10.7 |
Naples | 111 | -3.5 | 977 | -30.1 | 1,810 | -33.2 |
Market comparison: UK airports June 2009
Market | BAA total Jun 2008 (000s) | BAA total Jun 2009 (000s) | % change |
|---|---|---|---|
UK and Channel Islands | 2,216.7 | 2,036.8 | -8.1 |
Ireland | 586.9 | 549.7 | -6.3 |
European scheduled | 5,707.8 | 5,545.4 | -2.8 |
European charter* | 1,105.4 | 870.2 | -21.3 |
North Atlantic | 1,914.5 | 1,735.2 | -9.4 |
Other long haul | 2,004.5 | 2,001.1 | -0.2 |
Total | 13,535.7 | 12,738.4 | -5.9 |
* Includes North African charter
Note: Origins and destinations are classified according to ultimate origin or destination of aircraft in the case of multi-sector flights.
Note: Figures for the market sectors have been rounded. Totals as per traffic summary.
