Transatlantic flights show slight increase for March
Transatlantic flights was one of the few bright lights in traffic figures for March with a marginal increase when compared to the same time last year.
As a result of a handful of extra Transatlantic flights – arrivals and departures as well as overflights – there was a slight increase on the same month in 2011.
Overall the number of UK flights was down 1.1 per cent when compared to the same period last year. The decrease would have been greater if it was not for an extra weekday and two extra weekend days of summer airline schedules this year.
NATS airports (as measured by en route centre movement handled) decreased by 1.1 per cent in March. However, Belfast International (5.5 per cent), Manchester (5.5 per cent), London City (3.7 per cent) and Aberdeen (3.1 per cent) all showed positive growth.
| Mar 2012 | Mar 2011 | % gr | 2012 to Date | 2011 to Date | % gr | ||
| UK FLIGHTS | 170,039 | 171,878 | -1.1% | 475,356 | 481,764 | -1.3% | |
| CENTRES | |||||||
| Swanwick | 145,771 | 147,415 | -1.1% | 407,670 | 413,995 | -1.5% | |
| London Area Control | 139,440 | 140,550 | -0.8% | 389,543 | 394,732 | -1.3% | |
| London Terminal Control | 98,689 | 100,530 | -1.8% | 279,570 | 283,697 | -1.5% | |
| Prestwick | 91,380 | 92,546 | -1.3% | 255,842 | 258,409 | -1.0% | |
| Prestwick Domestic | 68,465 | 69,720 | -1.8% | 191,066 | 194,044 | -1.5% | |
| Prestwick Oceanic | 31,488 | 31,486 | 0.0% | 88,720 | 88,584 | 0.2% | |
| MARKET | |||||||
| Transatlantic Arrivals/Departures | 10,120 | 9,946 | 1.7% | 28,621 | 28,237 | 1.4% | |
| Transatlantic Overflights | 14,923 | 14,685 | 1.6% | 41,480 | 42,459 | -2.3% | |
| Other Arrivals/Departures | 104,278 | 104,286 | 0.0% | 291,307 | 292,519 | -0.4% | |
| Other Overflights | 7,669 | 7,929 | -3.3% | 20,935 | 22,102 | -5.3% | |
| Domestic | 32,820 | 34,575 | -5.1% | 92,176 | 95,440 | -3.4% |
Notes:
- The figures shown are GAT and do not include off-route traffic
- The sum of the markets will not necessarily equal the UK total due to flights with unknown origin/dest codes
- Swanwick is a combination of the distinct flights using LAC and/or LTC
- Prestwick is a combination of the distinct flights using Prestwick Domestic and/or Prestwick Oceanic
- Prestwick Domestic is made up of the distinct flights controlled by the Prestwick centre, that typically use the Scottish portion of UK airspace (it contains some but not all Oceanic flights handled by Prestwick)
- Prestwick Oceanic is a count of all Oceanic traffic controlled by the Prestwick centre