Regional Airports to Go From 'Strength to Strength'

Regional airports are set to experience continued growth, according to one industry expert.

Leeds Bradford International Airport (LBIA) made the claim, adding that these types of airports will introduce more flights to a greater range of destinations, providing larger hubs with greater competition.

Tony Hallwood, commercial and aviation development director at LBIA, said: "There is not a shadow of a doubt that regional airports in the UK are going to gain in increasing popularity.

"Over the last three or four years LBIA has been one of the fastest growing regional airports with growth of over 75 per cent of traffic."

He added that LBIA is now concentrating on "new, longer-haul destinations", which travellers may have traditionally had to use Heathrow Airport to reach.

The West Yorkshire airport's top priority is to provide a direct flight link between Leeds and New York.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority, in 2006 regional airports grew at a rate of four per cent, compared to 2.5 per cent for those in London.

Travel Industry News posted on 06/05/2008 07:59:38