Airlines cut capacity removing 236 000 seats

Friday 21st November 2008

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Southampton and Bournemouth airports have cut down on passenger capacity by 236,000 seats in the last year.

Official Airline Guide figures reported a 7% drop in flights from Southampton to 3,201, reducing the airport's capacity by 164,000 seats.

Bournemouth Airport had its capacity reduced by 72,000 seats but had a 1% increase in outbound flights.

Southampton Airport handled 1.96 million passengers in the last year, BAA said. The Airline, which runs Southampton Airport, also insisted it was sticking to its prediction of 3 million passengers a year by 2015 and about 6 million passengers annually by 2030.

John Strickland, director of independent air transport consultancy JLS, said: "It is indicative of a recession and trend we're seeing throughout country.

"Bournemouth is an airport which is very focused on leisure traffic, which may explain a small drop in capacity.

"Whereas Southampton has more business travellers which is an industry being hit hard."