NATS, the UK’s leading air traffic management provider, handled 196,869 flights in March, a rise of 4.1 per cent over March 2006.
Traffic handled by the London Area Control Centre at Swanwick, Hampshire increased 4.5 per cent to 159,012. The London Terminal Control Centre at West Drayton showed growth of 2.9 per cent to 114,209 flights, the Scottish Area Control Centre at Prestwick reported an increase of 0.1 per cent to 50,425 flights and the Oceanic Area Control Centre, also located at Prestwick, recorded an increase of 3.4 per cent to 31,789 flights.
The Transatlantic market continued to perform well with arrivals/departures showing growth of 6.8 per cent. Strongest arrivals/departure growth in other markets was seen by Turkey and Poland with 23.9 per cent and 14.8 per cent respectively, while overflights between Ireland and Poland more than doubled over the same month last year.
Collectively, traffic grew by 1.3 per cent at the 15 UK airports where NATS provides air traffic services. Strong traffic growth was shown at some regional airports, including Farnborough with 28.7 per cent growth and Cardiff with 11.6 per cent.
| Mar 2007 | Mar 2006 | % gr | 2007 to Date | 2006 to Date | % gr | |
| UK FLIGHTS | 196,869 | 189,174 | 4.1% | 553,862 | 534,394 | 3.6% |
| CENTRES | ||||||
| London Area Control Centre (Swanwick) | 159,012 | 152,160 | 4.5% | 447,033 | 431,375 | 3.6% |
| London Terminal Control Centre | 114,209 | 110,941 | 2.9% | 322,815 | 313,804 | 2.9% |
| Manchester Area Control Centre | 48,225 | 49,115 | -1.8% | 136,118 | 136,816 | -0.5% |
| Scottish Area Control Centre | 50,425 | 50,376 | 0.1% | 142,779 | 139,866 | 2.1% |
| Oceanic Area Control Centre (Shanwick) | 31,789 | 30,750 | 3.4% | 89,053 | 85,777 | 3.8% |
| MARKET | ||||||
| Transatlantic Arrivals/Departures | 11,351 | 10,629 | 6.8% | 32,221 | 30,045 | 7.2% |
| Transatlantic Overflights | 14,550 | 13,953 | 4.3% | 41,149 | 39,443 | 4.3% |
| Other Arrivals/Departures | 118,687 | 113,254 | 4.8% | 332,533 | 320,450 | 3.8% |
| Other Overflights | 9,710 | 7,966 | 21.9% | 26,966 | 22,421 | 20.3% |
| Domestic | 42,203 | 43,070 | -2.0% | 120,074 | 121,196 | -0.9% |
