UK CAA April passenger numbers

The UK CAA has published traffic figures for April 2009.

The key Ireland - London area airports show significant YoY declines even though Easter was in April this year and should have had a strong contribution to passenger numbers.

From Dublin, Gatwick traffic which is split between Ryanair and Aer Lingus now that BA have shelved the route bucked the trend with a 7% YoY growth at 89,546. Heathrow and Stansted both showed negative trends with LHR down 3% to 137,233 passengers and Stansted (a Ryanair preserve) down 16% to 64,317. In total, Dublin's traffic to the 'Big 4' London area airports was down 2.8% .

At Cork, Gatwick traffic was up 2% to 9,395. Heathrow was stable, down 1% to 44,820 while Stansted, again a Ryanair preserve took a hit, down 13% to 22,268. In total, Cork's London traffic was down 14.7% YoY for the month.

Shannon has fared similar to Dublin and Cork with Gatwick traffic down 2% YoY at 16,246 and Stansted down 11%, to 23,778.  

Shannon appeared back on the LHR stats last month with the recommencement of the Heathrow service so April was the first full month of service. A total of 11,381 passengers are recorded as having flown the route which restarted on March 29. A total of 104 sectors were flown with A320, each aircraft seating 186 passengers. The monthly total of passengers flown therefore equates to a load factor of 62.8% which ain't bad given the economic climate and the fact that it's just the second month in re-operation.

In Belfast, City Airport bucked many, many months of decline on the key LHR route (a BMI domain) with numbers growing 9% YoY to 46,352. The shocker though is Aer Arann's Cork - Belfast City route which saw passenger numbers drop 28% YoY to 2,964.

At Belfast International, Aer Lingus LHR figures have shown a 29% gain YoY to 24,872.

The decline in Ryanair numbers on certain routes certainly backs up Michael O'Leary's contention that the Irish governments travel tax has had a negative impact on passenger numbers. Ryanair pointed out today that the Spanish government in common with the Dutch, Greek and Belgian governments had rolled back their intended passenger tax proposals in some form or another.