Airport passenger numbers on the rise

Passenger numbers at Highlands and Islands airports, including Campbeltown's, are continuing an upward trend toward pre-pandemic levels, according to recently released figures.

 

Regional airport operator Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) has reported a 10.4 per cent year-on-year increase in passenger numbers for the first quarter of the 2023/24 financial year.

 

During the three months from April to June 2023, 425,222 people used the key regional airports in the HIAL network, as compared to 385,196 for the same period in 2022/23.

 

The figures also represent 87.3 per cent of the level the 11 HIAL airports recorded pre-pandemic in 2019/20.

 

There were significant increases at Inverness (up by 17.6 per cent to 240,631 passengers), Campbeltown (up by 17.1 per cent to 2,071 passengers), Islay (up 14.1 per cent to 8,747 passengers) and Tiree (up 10 per cent to 3,802 passengers).

 

Figures at Kirkwall increased by 7.1 per cent to 37,221; Barra rose by 4.7 per cent to 3,953 passengers; Benbecula was up by 4.4 per cent to 8,280; and Wick John O’ Groats increased by 29.5 per cent to 2,774.

 

Both Stornoway (down 0.3 per cent to 26,788) and Sumburgh (down 0.6 per cent to 81,262) recorded slight decreases during the three-month period, while Dundee Airport also recorded a drop in numbers from 10,435 in the same period in 2022/23 to 9,688.

 

George Farquhar, director of airport operations for HIAL, said: “Leading into what is a hugely important 2023 tourist season, the new figures are encouraging and highlight the key role our people and airports continue to play to the Highland economy in providing vital connections to and from our iconic Highlands and Islands destinations.

 

“With almost 1.5 million people having passed through our 11 airports across the Highlands and Islands over the past 12 months, the economies in each of those areas will have benefited significantly from the added investment and spending they bring with them.”