Highlands and Islands Airports Limited

Passenger traffic at airports in the north and west of Scotland has increased by 5% this year, according to figures released today (Monday 15 October) by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited.

HIAL saw 698,000 passengers use its 10 airports in the six months to the end of September, an increase of 34,000 on the previous year.

Aircraft movements over the same period totalled 56,000 in line with last year’s second quarter performance.

Inglis Lyon, managing director of HIAL said: “Based on this year’s performance to date, we should handle approaching 1.3 million passengers by the end of March 2008. That would make this operating year our seventh consecutive year of growth and our busiest ever since HIAL was formed in 1986.

“The improvements to air connectivity in the region achieved with our airline and strategic partners in recent years continue to catalyse economic growth, inbound tourism and are helping to make our region a more attractive place in which to live and invest.

“Equally, there is ongoing demand for new routes, particularly to international destinations and this is an important focus for our development work going forward,” said Mr Lyon.