The month of August saw strong passenger growth continue at airports operated by HIAL.

Passengers across the company’s 10 airports were up 4.9% to 88,436, amounting to 4,111 extra air travellers compared to the same month last year.

The running total for the current year starting on 1 April 2003 now stands at 418,351, up by more than 32,000 on 2002-2003.

The largest year on year passenger growth for August was at Inverness with 17.3% and Barra with 10.8%. Passenger numbers at Stornoway also increased by 6.8% while the airports at Islay and Kirkwall have also seen passenger traffic growth.

The number of passengers arriving in Inverness from London airports in August has increased by over 600 to 3,398 compared to 2,789 for the same month in 2002. The running total for in-bound passengers from London stands at 17,001, which is up by more than 3,000.

Total aircraft movements, including scheduled, charter, executive, general aviation and military flights have also grown, up 16.3% in August across the 10 airports to a running total of 36,595 for the current year.

Bob Macleod, Managing Director of HIAL, said: "Yet again our latest figures are on the up, reflecting the increasing economic and social importance of air travel in the region. Our commercially focused strategy is paying dividends, giving the traveling public more options in terms of destinations and services which include scheduled flights and outbound holiday charters.

"These figures support our efforts to bring more new routes and services at our hub airports and demonstrate to customer airlines that there is significant potential for air travel in the region."

ENDS