Passenger numbers at Gatwick Airport grow by 2% year-on-year

12 June 2012

May 2012 traffic performance summary

Note: Origins and destinations are classified according to ultimate origin or destination of aircraft in the case of multi-sector flights.

Figures for the market sectors have been rounded. Totals as per traffic summary.

Key Points:

• Passenger numbers grew by 2% year-on-year at Gatwick, with the greatest growth coming from scheduled services to European destinations from both existing and new airlines. Charter traffic serving the same region continued to decline.
• Traffic growth in May was impacted by shift in the start of the school half-term and May Bank holiday to June to coincide with the Jubilee celebrations. Despite this shift, average load factors were stronger than in previous years with planes flying at 79.5% load capacity, up by 2.1 percentage points on the prior year.
• Air transport movements were down 1.2% year-on-year due to reductions in charter operations and some away-based operators. This was offset by good growth by Gatwick-based low cost and new long-haul operators, including Korean Air, Hong Kong Airlines and Vietnam Airways.
• Gatwick welcomed Air China on 2 May making it the fourth major Asian-based carrier to choose Gatwick in the last six months, and helping to ensure the UK's key trading routes are served from London. Air Nigeria started daily operations from Gatwick to Lagos on 17 May, together with Atlantic Airways which moved their seasonal link between London and the Faroe Islands from Stansted to Gatwick.

Nick Dunn, Gatwick's Chief Financial Officer commented: "It is encouraging to report a 2% growth in passenger numbers during May despite the move of a busy school-half term and May Bank holiday to June. Despite the continuing economic headwinds, business and leisure passengers are taking advantage of low-cost travel to many destinations in Europe and the new long-haul services operating from Gatwick.

"We have also seen competition amongst airports working with Atlantic Airways switching its London service to the Faroe Islands from Stansted to Gatwick during May. We continue to invest around £20 million a month in the airport to create a modern, welcoming airport with minimal queue-times and excellent customer service. This is now paying dividends with airlines and passenger choosing to fly from Gatwick."