Scottish airport passenger figures continue to rise

Airport chiefs say they are ending the year on a high with record passenger figures. Picture: Scott Olson/Getty Images

International passengers increased by almost a fifth at Edinburgh Airport which led to its “busiest ever” November.

A total of 936,193 passengers used the airport which was up 8.7% on the same month last year.

International passengers accounted for 509,610, an increase of 18.1% on November 2016, while domestic figures remained steady.

Gordon Dewar, chief executive of Edinburgh Airport said: “This is yet another record month for the airport and the fact the growth is being mainly driven by international is testament to the fantastic global links that we have.

“By offering greater choice to our passengers, we are making it easier to welcome Scotland to the world and to allow people to go and experience destinations across the globe.”

Glasgow Airport also recorded record November figures with more than 682,800 passengers travelling through the airport’s doors.

Airport chiefs say this was a 2.5% increase on the same period last year.

EU-scheduled services increased by 10.5% driven by strong demand on new Ryanair routes to Madrid, Lisbon, Valencia, Krakow, Frankfurt and Lufthansa’s Munich service.

International traffic also grew by 6.2% and long-haul services to North America and Florida. Emirates’ twice daily service to Dubai was up 12%.

Amanda McMillan, managing director at Glasgow Airport, said: “2017 has been a fantastic year in terms of passenger growth.

“Our November figures not only guarantee we approach the end of the year on a high, they also help ensure we are in a strong position as we prepare to enter 2018.

“Our efforts in securing 30 new routes and services have been instrumental in making 2017 the most successful year in the airport’s history.

“As well as consolidating our position as Scotland’s leading long-haul airport, we have also significantly added to our now burgeoning European network.”

Almost 250,000 people travelled through Aberdeen International Airport during November 2017, a 4.9% increase on November last year.

Domestic and international traffic was up 7.2% and 12% respectively due to strong demand for new services.

Helicopter traffic, however, was down 16.9%, largely due to poor weather which grounded a number of services.

Carol Benzie, managing director of Aberdeen International Airport, said: “We have reported an increase in both domestic and international traffic for seven consecutive months which is extremely encouraging.

“In addition to the new Ryanair services, our international traffic was boosted by Air France’s decision to reintroduce a third daily service to Paris.

“Whilst we are continuing to operate in what remains a challenging market as highlighted by the helicopter traffic, the return of the third daily service is a clear sign of confidence starting to return.