Glasgow Airport reports passenger numbers for January 2018

Overall passenger numbers down 3%

• EU-scheduled traffic increased by 4.7%

Glasgow Airport welcomed 579,888 passengers through its doors in January, representing a decrease of 3% on the same period last year.

EU-scheduled traffic was up 4.7% thanks to the popularity of a number of winter sun routes and an increase in capacity on city break destinations including Munich, Frankfurt, Madrid, Dusseldorf, Lisbon and Valencia.

International traffic was down 1.9% due to the suspension of United’s Newark winter route while adverse weather conditions also impacted services throughout the month.

Domestic traffic was down 4% on the same period last year due to the temporary suspension of Ryanair’s three-times daily Stansted service, however, regional traffic was up thanks to increased uptake on routes to Manchester and Southampton.

Francois Bourienne, Glasgow Airport’s commercial director, said: “January is traditionally a quieter period for the airport, however, our passenger numbers were affected by adverse weather conditions which resulted in a number of flights being cancelled. The suspension of United’s winter service to Newark and Ryanair’s Stansted route were also contributing factors.

“January’s passenger numbers are a clear reminder that we cannot take our air connections for granted as the airport continues to face stiff global competition when it comes to attracting new routes and maintaining existing ones.

“Route development will continue to be a key focus and whilst we are looking forward to welcoming a number of new routes this year including Lufthansa’s daily service to Frankfurt in March, we are in no doubt that 2018 is going to be a challenging year for the airport and the wider industry.

“Against the backdrop of continued uncertainty surrounding Brexit, the Scottish Government’s proposed 50% reduction in Air Passenger Duty would deliver a much-needed competitive edge and provide airlines with the confidence to invest further in Scotland.”

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