Passenger numbers at UK airports up 1% to 221 million in 2012, still below 2007 peak

UK CAA reported (18-Mar-2013) UK airports handled 221 million passengers in 2012, an increase of 0.6% year-on-year. Passenger numbers at the London airports - Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City and Southend - increased 1% to 135 million passengers. Heathrow handled its highest ever annual total of 70 million passengers, up 0.9% year-on-year. At airports outside London, traffic rose by 0.1% year-on-year to 85.7 million passengers. Manchester saw the largest rise in terms of passenger numbers, with an increase of 4.5% year-on-year to 19.7 million. Freight and mail carried from UK airports was 2.5 million tonnes, up 0.4% year-on-year. CAA director of regulatory policy Iain Osborne said, "Whilst our statistics show aviation performance in the UK continues to recover, the overall picture means passenger numbers in the UK are still some way short of their 2007 peak." [more - original PR]