A continuing slump in air travel has seen passenger numbers using UK airports drop to below 2004 levels.
The number of people flying has fallen for three consecutive years with “significant” year on year declines in January, April, May and December last year.
The new figures for 2010 from the Civil Aviation Authority reflected disruption by severe weather, the impact of the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud and cabin crew strike at British Airways.
The statistics showed UK airports handled 7.4 million (3.4%) fewer passengers last year than 2009 ending with a total of 210 million.
Regional airports were proportionately more affected than London airports, with many now facing “financial challenges” according to the CAA.
The charter flight sector suffered a 1.5 million or 6% drop in passengers carried to 23 million over 2009. Numbers taking scheduled flights fell by six million (3.1%) to 188 million.
The decrease in passenger numbers was more marked in the second quarter of the year, with a drop of 9% compared with the same period in 2009, largely due to the impact of the ash cloud.
Passenger numbers were broadly flat during summer 2010, while the adverse weather over Christmas led to a fall of 2.4% in the fourth quarter.
Apart from months affected by snow, volcanic ash and strikes, passenger numbers handled at UK airports were similar to those carried during 2009, suggesting that underlying demand was broadly flat during 2010, the CAA said.
The authority’s regulatory policy director Iain Osborne said: “The UK’s fragile recovery is not yet driving increases in passenger numbers.
“Although the decline in business travel levelled out last year, leisure travel continued to fall in 2010. Without the year’s exceptional events, with snow, strikes and volcanic ash all affecting aviation, passenger numbers overall would likely have been level with 2009.
“Although airports in the South East of England were less affected, airports in the rest of the UK saw significant falls in passenger numbers, with some now facing financial challenges as a result.
“Airlines have in the main coped well with unprecedented drops in passenger numbers, increasing load factors and sustaining margins where possible.”
Osborne added that the outlook for aviation is still uncertain. “A return to robust economic growth should see increased passenger numbers, but this will be affected by other costs that bear on the sector, such as high oil prices and taxation, and by the availability of capacity,” warned Osborne.
“Congestion in the South-East could also see more customers flying from regional airports, or via other European hubs to travel to or from the UK.”