City air passenger figures on the rise

AIR passenger numbers at Inverness Airport are continuing to rise, despite a slight fall in the number of north air travellers.

2018 figures from Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (Hial) showed an increase of 1.8 per cent in passengers using Inverness Airport, up to 903,157 from 887,123 in 2017.

Benbecula showed the biggest percentage, increase, up 6.2 per cent to 37,224.

However, overall the 11 airport Hial network saw a 0.7 per cent drop in passenger numbers to 1,762,871, down from 1,775,168 in 2017. Wick, Campbeltown, Barra and Dundee all showed slight drops in traveller numbers while Sumburgh had a 8.5 per cent fall, largely as a result of a reduction in North Sea helicopter traffic.

Hial managing director Inglis Lyon said: “Inverness Airport continues to grow and is playing an ever more important role in improving connectivity to and from the Highlands. Its international connections and regular flights to hub airports in Amsterdam, London and Dublin make it an attractive proposition for travellers.”

The upward trend looks set to continue this year with the introduction of twice daily BA flights between Inverness and Heathrow and KLM operating up to three flights per day between the Highlands and Amsterdam for the peak summer season.

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