Passenger traffic at HIAL has increased by almost 12% in the first month of the operating year 2004/05.

A total of 83,151 passengers travelled via the company’s 10 airports in April 2004, an 11.7% increase on the 74,438 passengers in April 2003.

Inverness continued to see excellent growth as a result of new services operated by bmi to London Heathrow and by Snowflake to Stockholm, that were introduced at the end of March, and good performances on the more established services to and from the airport. A total of 45,901 passengers used the airport in the month, a 22.7% increase on last year’s figure.

Passenger growth was also recorded at Campbeltown (19.2%), Islay (8.8%), Kirkwall (4%) and Stornoway (7.9%). Decreases in passenger numbers compared to April last year occurred at Barra, Benbecula, Sumburgh, Tiree and Wick but overall growth still exceeded the net 8% increase for the 10 airports in 2003/04.

Total aircraft movements in the month amounted to 6,363, a 0.5% decrease on April 2003.

Bob Macleod, Managing Director of HIAL, said the figures represented a positive start to the new operating year.

"Our group of 10 airports continue to demonstrate year on year net growth with Inverness, our largest and busiest airport, consistently developing at above the national average rate. Even if we only maintain the current rate of expansion at the region’s hub airport we could see one million passengers a year by 2010 at Inverness," said Mr Macleod.

"We, of course, hope to see growth accelerate further by targeting more cross-border and European routes with the support of the Scottish Executive’s Route Development Fund. While some airports have seen a drop in passengers in April we expect their numbers to even out over the next 11 months," added Mr Macleod.