A rise in business passengers boosted the number of air travellers passing through BAA’s six UK airports last month, it was announced.
The six airports handled 9.75 million passengers in October – a 3.4 per cent increase on the October 2009 figure.
Heathrow numbers rose 7.2 per cent last month to just under 6.01 million, while Edinburgh was up 3.5 per cent and Southampton rose one per cent.
Glasgow numbers were down 7.4 per cent, while Aberdeen fell five per cent and Stansted, where holiday flights were down, dipped 3.1 per cent.
Long-haul trips between Heathrow and China and Hong Kong rose 16.1 per cent last month compared with October 1999, while long-haul journeys between all six BAA airports and North America increased 7.5 per cent.
There was a 10.6 per cent rise last month in Heathrow’s European travel, with Geneva traffic rising almost 60 per cent, Milan up more than 30 per cent, Moscow up 27.5 per cent and Berlin up 25.6 per cent.
BAA chief executive officer Colin Matthews said: “Passenger growth is good for the economy with thousands of people across the country employed in aviation, international trade and tourism.
“We are continuing with our £5 billion Heathrow investment programme – the biggest private investment project in the UK – providing thousands of jobs as we modernise facilities to improve everyone’s experience of the airport.
“The continued strength of Heathrow reflects an upturn in global economic activity. Low sterling and interest rates make the UK a competitive place to do business.
“However, government spending cuts, a sharp increase in air passenger duty and an imminent VAT rise are weakening the prospects for inbound tourism and British leisure travel.”