NATS

NATS, the UK’s leading air traffic services provider, handled three per cent more flights last month compared with the same month last year.

Transatlantic arrivals and departures increased year on year by 4.6 per cent while traffic at the

Oceanic Area Control Centre at Shanwick rose by 6.8 per cent. Manchester also posted growth with traffic up by 5.8 per cent, compared to the same month last year.

The London Area Control Centre at Swanwick saw a 3.7 per cent rise and the London Terminal Control Centre at West Drayton went up by 2.6 per cent.

Airports at which NATS provides service grew slightly this month at 0.4 per cent with London City up by 12 per cent, Belfast International showing 8.8 per cent growth and Aberdeen air traffic growing by 7.5 per cent.

Strongest growth in European markets included Poland (26.4 per cent), Switzerland (12.9 per cent) and Portugal (12.8 per cent).

Ends

Notes to Editors:

·         Quoted airport traffic figures are based on flights handled through NATS Area Control Centres, not on actual airport movements which are not available until later in the month.

·         NATS handled 2.4 million flights in 2006.

·         NATS provides ‘en route’ air traffic control and management from the London Area Control Centre at Swanwick, Hampshire, London Terminal Control Centre at West Drayton, Middlesex, Scottish and Oceanic Area Control Centre at Prestwick, Ayrshire and the Manchester Area Control Centre located at Manchester Airport.  

·         NATS also provides air traffic control services at 15 of the nation's major airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow, together with air traffic services at Gibraltar Airport.