Brown Starfish
4th Dec 2003, 23:45
The number of transatlantic flights using UK airspace has still not reached pre-September 11 levels, it has been disclosed.
The UK's air traffic controllers handled 2.6% more flights in November 2003 than in the same month last year, National Air Traffic Services (Nats) said.
But intercontinental overflights in UK airspace were down 8.1% on November 2000 - the comparable month before the terrorist attacks of September 2001, Nats added.
In all, Nats handled 161,747 flights last month compared with 157,635 in November 2002. But the majority of the flights handled were short-haul ones rather than the lucrative transatlantic ones that Nats are so dependent on.
Nats also said that 97% of flights experienced no Nats-attributable delay last month.
Nats chief executive Richard Everitt said: "The overall growth in flight numbers and the continued reduction in delay times is encouraging. However, the growth in the short-haul market still masks the weakness in the number of North Atlantic flights.
"The fact that we are still more than 8% down on three years ago shows just how weak the figures are. Short-haul flights require greater levels of activity than transatlantic flights, but generate significantly less revenue."
04/12/2003 16:20
At the same time, BA are reporting that the Rugby World Cup brought their figures up.
Obvious solution here - teach the Yanks to play a proper man's game and persuade them to invest in a new world championship.
The UK's air traffic controllers handled 2.6% more flights in November 2003 than in the same month last year, National Air Traffic Services (Nats) said.
But intercontinental overflights in UK airspace were down 8.1% on November 2000 - the comparable month before the terrorist attacks of September 2001, Nats added.
In all, Nats handled 161,747 flights last month compared with 157,635 in November 2002. But the majority of the flights handled were short-haul ones rather than the lucrative transatlantic ones that Nats are so dependent on.
Nats also said that 97% of flights experienced no Nats-attributable delay last month.
Nats chief executive Richard Everitt said: "The overall growth in flight numbers and the continued reduction in delay times is encouraging. However, the growth in the short-haul market still masks the weakness in the number of North Atlantic flights.
"The fact that we are still more than 8% down on three years ago shows just how weak the figures are. Short-haul flights require greater levels of activity than transatlantic flights, but generate significantly less revenue."
04/12/2003 16:20
At the same time, BA are reporting that the Rugby World Cup brought their figures up.
Obvious solution here - teach the Yanks to play a proper man's game and persuade them to invest in a new world championship.