Sumburgh Airport passenger numbers down

THE NUMBER of passengers travelling through Sumburgh Airport in 2019 was nearly 44,000 less than the previous year.

The drop – from 372,064 to 328,163 – represented a reduction of 11.8 per cent.

Operator Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) said this was largely due to reduced oil and gas flights.

Passenger numbers were also lower on Aberdeen and Glasgow routes.

Barra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Tiree and Wick all saw reduced passengers, while Inverness, Islay and Dundee experienced increased numbers.

HIAL managing director Inglis Lyon said: “We will continue to nurture and develop our network while at the same time ensuring we invest in future-proofing our operational capability.

“We face challenges from a variety of sources including regulatory, technological, environmental and societal changes in coming years, nonetheless HIAL will continue to invest in our airports and we are committed to continuously improving infrastructure and enhancing passenger facilities.”