1. Introduction
1.1 This chapter provides information on air transport, such as passenger numbers by origin, destination, and type of service, amount of freight carried, air transport movements, and income and expenditure figures of airline authorities.
1.2 The only changes from the previous edition are the inclusion for the first time, of figures for Barra airport for some recent years and the inclusion, of figures for Campbeltown airport in some tables from which they had been previously omitted.
2. Main Points
2.1 Air terminal passengers rose by 5% in 1999 over the previous year, to almost 16 million. Over the ten years from 1989 to 1999, terminal passengers have increased by 73%. (Table 9.1)
2.2 There were almost 6.8 million terminal passengers at Glasgow airport in 1999, a 4% increase on the previous year and Edinburgh airport had 5.1 million (up 12%). However, Aberdeen had a fall of 7% to under 2.5 million in 1999. Together these three airports accounted for almost 90% of the total. Over the past ten years, the increases at these airports were: Edinburgh 115%; Glasgow 75%; and Aberdeen 42%. (Table 9.1)
2.3 In 1999, 6% of all terminal passenger traffic was to/from other Scottish airports, 57% was to/from other parts of the UK, and 26% was between Scotland and Europe, of which almost three-fifths was to/from Glasgow Airport. (Table 9.2)
2.4 Looking at the numbers of passengers on selected domestic routes, London Heathrow accounts for around 40% of those travelling to or from both Edinburgh and Glasgow and 30% of those travelling to or from Aberdeen. London Gatwick accounts for just 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)
2.5 Air freight carried in 1999 rose by 7% on the previous year to just over 77,000 tonnes. The principal causes of this increase were that freight at Edinburgh was 24% higher at over 18,000 tonnes, and a 3% increase at Prestwick, to almost 41,000 tonnes. There was a 2% increase of freight through Glasgow: to over 9,000 tonnes. (Table 9.5)
2.6 The total number of aircraft movements in 1999 was about 479,000. Aberdeen had the highest number of aircraft movements with around 104,000, of which 84% were commercial movements, and aircraft movements at both Glasgow and Edinburgh in 1999 were just over 101,000 each. (Table 9.6)
2.7 BAA's operating profit for the three main airports (Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow) increased by 40% on the previous year to £49.5 million. The reason for the large increase was because profits in 1997-98 were lower than usual due to the windfall tax which was levied on BAA in that financial year. The operating profit in 1998-99 at Glasgow was £24.7 million, at Edinburgh £14.7 million, and at Aberdeen £10.1 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. Freight 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 to 9.9 are compiled from information supplied by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
4.2 Tables 9.10 was compiled by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.
4.3 Table 9.11 was compiled from information supplied by BAA Scottish Airports Ltd.
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: 0207 453 6258)