Regional airports ‘could struggle to survive’
11.04.09
Some regional UK airports could struggle to survive the recession because of falling passenger numbers, the Airport Operators Association (AOA) warned. Its figures suggest overall passenger traffic at UK airports in March was down 15%, with passenger numbers down by 70% at Blackpool Airport and 50% at Durham Tees Valley.
Most smaller airports had seen fewer passengers than expected through the winter. Some have said that a shortfall in income has forced them to introduce extra charges for services such as fast-track security or car drop-offs for passengers. Luton, Leeds Bradford and Liverpool all charge a £3 fee to fast-track passengers through security, while Bristol airport charges £5. Blackpool and Norwich charge a mandatory airport development fee per passenger.
Neil Pakey of the AOA said: ‘There's no doubt about it, most budgets haven't been met. What it has done is its made airports more inventive than they have been before bringing in new types of projects, the fast lane initiative through security or priority lane is just one of those.' He said the government needed to step in to help small airports.
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