UK airports boom figures

Airports for sale?

The General Election has not put off people travelling.  A poor weather-wise May might be a contributing factor towards what may be a record UK air travel number in 2024. And there could be a change of UK airport ownership according to The Sunday Times. However, some airports are doing better than others.

Heathrow, still Europe’s number one airport in terms of passenger numbers is likely to move in excess of the current running total of 81.5 million passengers.  This was the number for 2019, the previous record year.  The number for this year could be 83 million, in spite of the loss of BA’s high capacity 787 fleet.  

Thomas Woldbye, CEO of Heathrow, since October 2023, said: “We have a winning team at Heathrow which has proven that we have put Covid firmly behind us. Thanks to their extraordinary efforts we are now giving record numbers of people the chance to connect smoothly with the world. Supporting 81m journeys doesn’t just help families to make wonderful holiday memories, importantly it is about the vital trade and business links a hub like Heathrow creates for the UK’s economy.”

Manchester Airports Group (MAG) saw 5.9m passengers pass through its airports in May, up 9% year-on-year as families made the most of half-term get aways.

The figures across MAG – which owns and operates Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands Airports – were equal to 104% of passenger numbers seen in May 2019. The Sunday Times reports on its front page that MAG is weighing up a swoop for more than £1.3bn for AGS, which owns Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports.

Manchester Airport once again had a record-breaking month, serving 2.8m passengers, up 11% year-on-year. Stansted also recorded its busiest ever May, welcoming 2.7m passengers across the month, a figure which was up 6.4% on May 2023.

With the overall Group figure for 2019 totalling 62.2m, with the growth pattern continuing, 2024 could make 65m passing through the three airports.

The CAA has published the April figures for all of Britain’s airports, comparing 2023 and 2024.  TNU is selective with its choice.  Aberdeen (+5%), Belfast City (+14%), Belfast International (+3%), Birmingham (15%), Edinburgh (+8%),Gatwick (+5%), Glasgow (+8%), Leeds Bradford (+2%), London City (+1% − see New boss for LCY in this month's TNU), Newcastle (+6%), Newquay (-11%), Southampton (+4%).

www.heathrow.com

www.magairports.com    

www.caa.co.uk (Stats)

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