Air traffic controllers say new system 'not safe'
06.03.11
Passengers at Prestwick Airport fell by 40% in January compared to last year - from 101,032 in January 2010 to 60,993 this year. In 2009 and 2008, passengers for January were at 131,000 and 145,000 respectively.
Prestwick owner by Infratil said: ‘January passengers were down 40% on last year as a result of Ryanair's capacity reductions on UK domestic and Irish routes. Freight volumes continue to perform strongly mainly due to increased loads on scheduled services.’
Ryanair's current strategy is to use the airport for outbound summer holiday flights. The number of aircraft rotations it will operate at the start of the summer timetable this month is 120, down from 138 last year, but up from around 60 in the winter schedule.
The airport's chief executive Iain Cochrane told the BBC it was a ‘very difficult market at the moment’ with taxation and economic uncertainty. He said: ‘The forthcoming summer schedule from Prestwick will see significant growth in Ryanair's summer sun programme. Unfortunately, the UK and Irish services continue to be seriously impacted by Air Passenger Duty, resulting in significant capacity reductions on Ryanair's service to Stansted and the cancellation of their Belfast service. It is difficult to see a huge increase in traffic in the next few years.’
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