Glasgow Airport Attack Hasn't Deterred Passengers
The number of passengers using Glasgow Airport has gone up for the first time since the attempted terrorist attack on June 30th this year. According to the airport's operator - BAA Scotland - passenger levels reached 869,305 last month - a circa 5,000 increase over August 2006. Overall, BAA added, in excess of 21 million travellers passed through one of Scotland's thee principal air hubs, located in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow itself. Previously, BAA data had pointed to a drop in Glasgow passenger traffic in the immediate aftermath of the attack.
Detailing its findings further, BAA pointed to long-haul flights as those among which the strongest growth was recorded at Glasgow Airport. These include flights to destinations such as Calgary, Dubai, New York and Vancouver.
The airport's Managing Director, Gordon Dewar highlighted how the passenger increase statistics reinforced the overriding view of a recent survey, in which the majority of those assessed said that the June 30th terrorist attack had not put them off travelling by air. He stated, in this regard: "The past few months have been particularly challenging, and it remains to be seen if the failed attack on the airport will have a long term impact on visitor numbers. However, in the year to August, Glasgow Airport handled more than 8.8 million passengers, including more than 900,000 long haul travellers."
BAA Scotland's Chairman, Stephen Baxter, was encouraged by the achievements of Scotland airport network. "Over the past year, BAA Scotland has invested more than £20m in support of new and expanding airlines", he said, adding: "With international passenger numbers growing at almost 10% a year, and dozens of new destinations now available from Scotland, this represents money well spent."
The terrorist attack on Glasgow Airport occurred the day after two car bombs were found in central London. A Jeep Cherokee was set alight, then driven into the side of the hub's Terminal 1. While immediately closed, the efforts to restore normality at Glasgow resulted in it reopening two days later, in what Alex Salmond, Scotland's First Minister, described as a "spectacular achievement".
Source - Airport International's Regional Correspondent
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