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Regional Air Services Show Strong And Sustained Growth

CAA Press Release 24/02/05

UK Regional Air Services, a study published today by the Civil Aviation
Authority, is the first of its kind to cover regional air transport in such
detail. It reveals that air services from the UK regions have grown at an
impressive rate since 1990:

· passenger numbers have more than doubled;
· many more regional airports have frequent services to international
destinations, especially in Europe;
· growth at some airports has been particularly strong; at Bristol,
Liverpool and Nottingham the number of international scheduled passengers
has risen by more than 1000%; and
· since 1990, the number of frequent scheduled services to international
destinations from Manchester and Birmingham has increased from 15 to 60
(Manchester) and 13 to 36 (Birmingham).

The biggest growth has been in scheduled services to Europe. Much of this
can be attributed to the liberalisation of the EU aviation market in 1993,
which led to the advent of ?no-frills? airlines and fundamental changes in
the nature of the short-haul airline business. Airlines have increasingly
established networks at airports outside London and, coupled with a step-
change in air fares, this has led to more passengers travelling abroad from
their local airport.

Links between the regions and London have also improved. There is a greater
choice of airports, more flights, and lower prices. Since 1990 the number
of passengers travelling by air between the regions and London has
increased by 73%, despite an acute shortage of take-off and landing slots
at Heathrow. That shortage has led to some regional airports losing their
Heathrow link, but the total number of passengers travelling to Heathrow is
broadly unchanged from 1990. While, numerically, the loss of Heathrow
services is more than offset by services to other London airports, those
airports cannot match the broad range of connections that Heathrow offers.
But many regional airports offer realistic alternative connections via
European hub airports like Amsterdam or Paris and, increasingly, passengers
appear to be formulating their own short-haul connections via Stansted.

Another important factor is the changing face of regional airports. They
have a noticeably more commercial approach than in the past (many have
moved from public to private ownership) and are actively seeking out new
business. Increases in passenger numbers have given them the ability to
improve facilities and price competitively, thus attracting even more
services.

The study concludes that the market has created strong and sustained growth
in services from UK regional airports, which in turn helps to facilitate
regional economic development, although the situation varies between
different regions, in particular for the most peripheral. Recent
initiatives to enhance regional air services have seen Scotland and
Northern Ireland establishing Route Development Funds ? using carefully
targeted injections of public money to attract new routes. Other regions
have announced, or are contemplating, similar funds. The report recognises
the wider economic benefits that can stem from improved air services, but
points to the inherent risks of public subsidy and suggests a cautious
approach to such schemes, against the backdrop of what the market has
delivered so far.

While the environmental effects of the growth in air travel from the
regions are outside the scope of this study, the CAA remains committed to
sustainable development in all aspects of aviation. There may be some
offsetting environmental benefits from more direct services from regional
airports, as the number of journeys being made by road to more distant
airports is reduced and pressure on congested London airports is eased.

Harry Bush, Group Director, Economic Regulation, announcing publication of
the study, said: ?The study shows how UK regional airports, and the
airlines that serve them, have expanded their networks and now provide a
much richer set of travel choices for their customers. The growth in
services to European cities has been particularly strong, showing how well
the opportunities afforded by the liberalisation of the EU aviation market
have been exploited. The challenge for policymakers is to build on the
success so far by continuing to allow the interplay of commercially-minded
airports and airlines to improve services and increase choice for
consumers, which in turn can help to deliver broader regional development
aims.?

UK Regional Air Services (CAP754): Executive Summary

An Executive Summary of the study is available in the study

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP754.pdf#page=10

The full text of the document is available on the CAA website.

http://makeashorterlink.com/?Z21C31C8A

Passengers statistics for UK regional airports can be found in Table 7.1 of
the study.

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP754.pdf#page=98

Regional Air Services: Key Facts
NB: 2004 passenger statistics are based on the 12 months to November.

Scotland
Between 1990 and 2004,
· Total passengers at the five largest Scottish airports increased by 141%;
o The biggest increase was at Edinburgh (by 5.5m, from 2.5m to 8.0m);
· International scheduled routes from Scottish airports increased from 10
to 40 (excluding low-frequency services). The biggest increase was at
Prestwick (from none to 12, excluding low-frequency services).
In 2004,
· Glasgow was the third biggest UK regional airport in terms of total
passenger numbers (8.5m), slightly ahead of Edinburgh in fourth position.
Edinburgh has slightly more international scheduled passengers than Glasgow
(1.7m vs 1.6m).

Northern Ireland
Between 1990 and 2004,
· Total passengers at Northern Ireland airports increased by 131%;
o The biggest increase in volume terms was at Belfast International (by
2.0m from 2.3m to 4.3m);
o The increase at Belfast City was 1.5m (from 0.6m to 2.1m);
· International scheduled routes from Northern Ireland airports increased
from zero to seven (excluding low-frequency services). The biggest increase
was at Belfast International (from none to 5, excluding low-frequency
services).
In 2004,
· Belfast International was the seventh biggest UK regional airport in
terms of total passenger numbers.

Wales
Between 1990 and 2004,
· Total passengers at Cardiff airport increased by 216%;
· The increase was by 1.3m, from 0.6m to 1.9m;
· International scheduled routes from Cardiff increased from one to seven
(excluding low-frequency services).

North East
Between 1990 and 2004,
· Total passengers at North-East airports increased by 186%;
o The increase was 3.1m at Newcastle (from 1.6m to 4.7m), and 0.5m at
Durham Tees Valley (from 0.3m to 0.8m);
· International scheduled routes from North-East airports increased from
five to 18 (excluding low-frequency services) of which 15 were from
Newcastle and three from Durham Tees Valley.
In 2004,
· Newcastle was the fifth biggest UK regional airport in terms of total
passenger numbers.

North West
Between 1990 and 2004,
· Total passengers at North-West airports increased by 127%;
o The biggest increase by volume was at Manchester (by 10.7m from 10.2m to
20.9m);
o The biggest increase in percentage terms was Liverpool (600%) where the
number of passengers on international scheduled services increased by
1800%;
· International scheduled routes from North-West airports increased from 16
to 76 (excluding low-frequency services), of which 60 were from Manchester,
15 were from Liverpool and one was from Blackpool.
In 2004,
· Manchester was the biggest UK regional airport in terms of total
passenger numbers and in terms of international scheduled passengers;
· Liverpool was the third biggest UK regional airport in terms of
international scheduled passengers.

Yorkshire & Humberside
Between 1990 and 2004,
· Total passengers at Humberside and Leeds Bradford airports increased by
295% and 179% respectively;
o The biggest increase in volume terms was at Leeds Bradford (by 1.5m from
0.8m to 2.3m);
· International scheduled routes from Leeds Bradford increased from four to
ten (excluding low-frequency services).
· Three airlines have announced scheduled and charter services from the new
Doncaster Sheffield airport, which opens in April 2005.

Midlands
Between 1990 and 2004,
· Total passengers at airports in the East and West Midlands increased by
184%;
o The biggest increase by volume was at Birmingham (by 5.3m from 3.5m to
8.8m);
o The increase at Nottingham East Midlands was 3m (from 1.3m to 4.3m) where
the number of passengers on international scheduled services increased by
1100%;
· International scheduled routes from airports in the East and West
Midlands increased from 16 to 59 (excluding low-frequency services), of
which 36 were from Birmingham, 17 were from Nottingham East Midlands, and
six were from Coventry.
In 2004,
· Birmingham is the second biggest UK regional airport in terms of total
passenger numbers and in terms of international scheduled passengers;
· Nottingham East Midlands is the fourth biggest UK regional airport in
terms of international scheduled passengers.

South West
Between 1990 and 2004,
· Total passengers at the three largest South-West airports increased by
371%;
o The biggest increase was at Bristol (by 3.8m from 0.8m to 4.6m);
· International scheduled routes from South-West airports increased from
five to 23 (excluding low-frequency services), all but two from Bristol.
In 2004,
· Bristol was the sixth biggest UK regional airport in terms of total
passenger numbers and the fifth biggest in terms of international scheduled
passengers.

For press enquiries contact Chris Mason on 020 7453 6026.

Notes to Editors

The CAA is the UK's specialist aviation regulator. Its activities include:
making sure that the aviation industry meets the highest technical and
operational safety standards; preventing holidaymakers from being stranded
abroad or losing money because of tour operator insolvency; planning and
regulating all UK airspace; and regulating airports, air traffic services
and airlines and providing advice on aviation policy from an economic
standpoint.

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