NATS, the UK’s leading provider of air traffic control services, handled almost 2.5m flights last year – a new record.
Controllers guided 2,470,940 aircraft through UK controlled airspace compared to 2,386,105 for 2006 – a rise of 3.6 per cent.
The figures were released in the monthly air traffic summary for December, which saw growth of three per cent compared to the same month last year.
For 2007, flights to and from European destinations grew strongly with the number of flights to Poland increasing by 25.7 per cent, Turkey by 12.9 per cent and Portugal by 10.7 per cent.
Transatlantic traffic flying over the UK increased by 5.4 per cent over the year. Non-transatlantic overflights rose by 14.4 per cent.
NATS control centres all showed growth during 2007 while airports at which NATS provides ATC service grew by 1.3 per cent for the year with Farnborough increasing by 23.9 per cent, London City, 15.4 per cent, Belfast International by eight per cent and Luton, 7.3 per cent.
ends
Dec 2007 | Dec 2006 | % | 2007 | 2006 | % | |
| UK FLIGHTS | 180,089 | 174,846 | 3.0% | 2,470,940 | 2,386,105 | 3.6% |
| CENTRES | ||||||
| London Area Control | 146,586 | 141,638 | 3.5% | 2,016,608 | 1,941,159 | 3.9% |
| London Terminal Control | 103,748 | 101,215 | 2.5% | 1,402,117 | 1,360,980 | 3.0% |
| Manchester Area Control Centre | 41,973 | 42,503 | -1.2% | 600,591 | 565,838 | 6.1% |
| Scottish Area Control Centre | 47,406 | 46,538 | 1.9% | 628,226 | 616,356 | 1.9% |
| Oceanic Area Control Centre (Shanwick) | 32,200 | 29,648 | 8.6% | 416,406 | 393,171 | 5.9% |
| MARKET | ||||||
| Transatlantic Arrivals/Departures | 11,056 | 10,769 | 2.7% | 146,066 | 138,328 | 5.6% |
| Transatlantic Overflights | 15,373 | 13,943 | 10.3% | 192,526 | 182,578 | 5.4% |
| Other Arrivals/Departures | 107,752 | 104,611 | 3.0% | 1,504,974 | 1,449,823 | 3.8% |
| Other Overflights | 9,061 | 8,375 | 8.2% | 123,794 | 108,188 | 14.4% |
| Domestic | 36,525 | 36,857 | -0.9% | 498,920 | 503,085 | -0.8% |
