Regional airports 'handling 100m passengers a year'

Annual passengers at UK regional airports have crossed the 100 million mark for the first time, nearly three times the number recorded in 1990, the latest figures show.

Statistics released by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) show that in 2006 regional airports continued to grow at a faster rate (four per cent) than their London counterparts (2.5 per cent), with 42 per cent of all passengers in the UK using regional hubs last year.

International scheduled services are experiencing the strongest growth, with a twofold increase in the number of travellers using these routes between 2002 and 2006.

In 1990, only Birmingham Airport and Manchester Airport offered daily scheduled flights to 12 or more international destinations, according to the CAA, but now eight regional airports offer such services.

Harry Bush, CAA group director of economic regulation, said: "Regional airports have continued to develop new services rapidly and have put themselves firmly on the map as gateways for travel to and from the regions they serve.

"There are connections to business as well as leisure destinations in Europe and further afield - including services to hub airports in Europe, the US and Middle East which allow numerous onward connections."

Six regional airports currently offer regular direct flights to the US and four host scheduled flights to the Middle East region.