1. Introduction

1.1 This chapter provides information on air transport, such as passenger numbers by origin, destination, and type of service, amount of cargo carried, air transport movements, and income and expenditure figures of airline authorities.

1.2 Campbeltown airport began reporting in April 1996. At present only table 9.2 includes figures for Campbeltown - it is hoped that figures will be includes in other tables in the next edition.

2. Main Points

2.1 Air terminal passengers rose by 9% in 1997 over the previous year, to 14.4 million. Over the ten years from 1987 to 1997, terminal passengers have increased by 85%. (Table 9.1)

2.2 There were just over 6 million terminal passengers at Glasgow airport in 1997, a 10% increase on the previous year. Edinburgh airport had 4.2 million (up 9%) and there were over 2.5 million at Aberdeen airport (up 8%). Together these three airports accounted for almost 90% of the total. Over the past ten years, the increases at these airports were: Edinburgh 121%; Glasgow 79%; and Aberdeen 75%. (Table 9.1)

2.3 The number of terminal passengers at Prestwick continued to rise in 1997, and at 567,300 were at their highest ever, 89% higher than ten years earlier. (Table 9.1)

2.4 In 1997, 8% of all terminal passenger traffic was to/from other Scottish airports, 57% was to/from other parts of the UK, and 23% was between Scotland and Europe, of which two-thirds was to/from Glasgow Airport. (Table 9.2)

2.5 Looking at the numbers of passengers on selected domestic routes, London Heathrow accounts for about half of those travelling to or from both Edinburgh and Glasgow, almost a third of those travelling to or from Aberdeen, and over half of those travelling to or from Inverness. (It should be noted that the table does not cover all domestic routes - it excludes some of the smaller domestic routes.) (Table 9.4)

2.6 Air cargo carried in 1997 rose by 25% on the previous year to over 63,000 tonnes. The principal cause of this increase is that freight at Prestwick was 56% higher: at nearly 34,000 tonnes, it was almost three times the amount for 1987. There was a 9% increase at Edinburgh, to over 8,000 tonnes, but there was an 4% decrease of freight through Glasgow to around 11,000 tonnes. (Table 9.5)

2.7 The total number of aircraft movements in 1997 was about 496,500. Aberdeen had the highest number of aircraft movements with around 112,500, of which over 80% were commercial movements, and aircraft movements at Edinburgh in 1997 were around 99,400 of which 76% were commercial. (Table 9.6)

2.8 BAA's operating profit for the three main airports (Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow) in 1996-97 increased by 11% on the previous year to £41.1 million. The operating profit in 1996-97 at Glasgow was £18.8 million, at Edinburgh £12.9 million, and at Aberdeen £9.4 million. (Table 9.11)

3. Notes and Definitions

3.1 Aircraft Movement: an aircraft take-off or landing at an airport: one arrival and one departure are counted as two movements. Air transport movements are landings or take-offs of aircraft engaged in the transport of passengers or cargo on commercial terms. All scheduled service movements, whether loaded, empty or positioning; and charter movements transporting passengers or cargo and air taxi movements are included.

3.2 Terminal Passenger: a passenger joining or leaving an aircraft at the reporting airport. A passenger travelling between 2 reporting airports is counted twice, once at each airport. A Transit passenger is one who arrives at and departs from a reporting airport on the same aircraft which is transiting the airport. Each transit passenger is counted once only.

3.3 Freight: the weight of property carried out on an aircraft including, for example the weight of vehicles, excess baggage, and diplomatic bags, but excluding mail and passengers' and crews' permitted luggage. Cargo in transit through the airport on the same aircraft is excluded.

3.4 International Services: services flown between the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, and places outside.

4. Sources

4.1 Tables 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 9.8 and 9.9 are compiled from information supplied by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

4.2 Tables 9.10 and 9.11 are compiled from information supplied by airport authorities and by UK airlines.

5. Further Information

5.1 Further information on UK civil aviation is available in the CAA's regular publications.

5.2 For further information on UK civil aviation contact Mrs D McLean of the Civil Aviation Authority (tel: 0171 832 6143)

List of Tables/Figures