May flight figures show continued decline
Figures released by NATS show that the number of flights in UK airspace decreased by just over 11 per cent in May 2009, compared to the same month last year.
Controllers at NATS, the UK’s leading air traffic management provider, handled 196,806 flights last month, compared to 221,885 in May 2008. However, the year’s one millionth commercial flight in UK airspace is still expected in June, as in 2008.
All NATS centres, airports and markets showed a decline last month, but some new routes have been opened, including Southampton – Paris, Gatwick – Faro and Manchester – Philadelphia, while flights to Turkey increased by 12 per cent. Flights to long-haul destinations such as the Middle East, Africa and Asia, fared better than European routes, falling by less than 4 per cent.
May
2009 |
May
2008 |
% gr | 2009 to date | 2008 to date | % gr | |
UK FLIGHTS | 196,806 | 221,885 | -11.3% | 877,576 | 987,502 | -11.1% |
CENTRES | ||||||
London Area Control Centre (Swanwick) | 162,615 | 183,800 | -11.5% | 717,086 | 804,279 | -10.8% |
London Terminal Control Centre (Swanwick) | 110,781 | 123,747 | -10.5% | 504,832 | 563,978 | -10.5% |
Manchester Area Control Centre | 45,328 | 51,990 | -12.8% | 196,044 | 232,320 | -15.6% |
Scottish Area Control Centre | 49,066 | 57,226 | -14.3% | 223,229 | 257,509 | -13.3% |
Oceanic Area Control Centre (Shanwick) | 34,503 | 38,971 | -11.5% | 155,351 | 168,728 | -7.9% |
MARKET | ||||||
Transatlantic Arrivals/Departures | 10,963 | 12,883 | -14.9% | 49,824 | 57,098 | -12.7% |
Transatlantic Overflights | 16,857 | 18,427 | -8.5% | 73,843 | 80,085 | -7.8% |
Other Arrivals/Departures | 121,290 | 135,568 | -10.5% | 530,477 | 595,289 | -10.9% |
Other Overflights | 9,756 | 11,569 | -15.7% | 44,318 | 51,458 | -13.9% |
Domestic | 37,609 | 43,082 | -12.7% | 176,971 | 201,976 | -12.4% |