More passengers are flying from Bristol Airport to Scotland than from any other UK airport outside London, according to new figures.
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data shows nearly 630,000 journeys were made between Bristol and Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness in 2012 – a 4.5% increase on the previous year.
Bristol Airport’s biggest carrier, easyJet, operates 22 flights a week from Bristol to Edinburgh, 19 to Glasgow, and a daily flight to Inverness.
Just under 300,000 passengers used the Bristol-Edinburgh service alone last year, benefiting from a schedule which includes four flights a day on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Glasgow is also served by four flights on a Friday, with three a day on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.
The Aberdeen service operates twice daily with a direct jet service by bmi regional using an Embraer 145. Passengers can check in up to 30 minutes before departure and there is a free hold baggage allowance of 20kg, as well as complimentary onboard catering.
Flight times to Scotland compare favourably against train journeys (1hr 15 mins compared to more than 6hrs to Edinburgh), making a round trip possible in a day for business passengers. Improvements to Bristol Airport’s Fast Track security product have also helped to keep waiting times to a minimum.
Bristol Airport aviation director Shaun Browne said: “While the majority of passengers using Bristol Airport are flying overseas, domestic routes to more distant parts of the UK remain important in keeping the South West connected. These flights provide important connections for many companies, particularly in the defence, financial services and oil/marine engineering sectors.
“We expect further growth on these routes in 2013, and are actively exploring ways to strengthen links with Scotland with our airline partners to support these important business and leisure markets.”
