More than 1.2 million passengers took to the skies from the Highlands and Islands airport according to figures released by the Highlands and Islands Airports Limited. This figure represents an increase of 7% in the year to March 31, 2007 on the previous year with overall passenger numbers to the regions airports increasing by 57% since 2000 / 2001.

The increase in passenger numbers is said to be largely due to the introduction of the Scotish Executives Air Discount Scheme in May 2006 and the introduction of new routes.

With the better air connections supporting the population and economic growth in the Moray Firth area, the increase in flights and routes is also helping to support business growth and boost tourism in the more remote island communities.

Airline tickets for the first flights to operate from the new Heathrow terminal 5 are being sold by BA.

The new terminal which is due to open in March 2008 will be exclusively used by BA which will operate 90% of its flights from the new site. BA has planned a four phase move that will see the majority of their operation move to the new terminal between the opening date and October 2008. The remaining 10% of BA’s services including some short haul services will continue to operate from Heathrow terminal 3. After BA has moved the bulk of its services to the new terminal 5 the oneworld alliance will have exclusive use of Heathrow’s terminal 3.

BA is spending £60 million on providing premium lounges in the new building which will house up to 2,500 passengers and be known as The Galleries. The overall cost of the new terminal site and building is expected to be around 4.5 billion.

With increasing passenger numbers, the new terminal at Heathrow will bring increased demand for supplementary services such as airport parking and airport hotel services to the Heathrow area.

The link between Heathrow airport and the island of Jersey has been restored after a seven year break. The twice daily service which started on the 25th of March and operated by BMI takes the place of the old British Airways service that operated on the route all those years ago.

A campaign to attract visitors back to the island was kick started by the Jersey Tourism office with a £250,000 poster campaign. Millions are being spent on the island to upgrade properties and to build new attractions and facilities such as luxury spa centres to attract new visitors to the island.

The new poster campaign backed by BMI is being aimed to attract familys and younger travellers and to shake off the old Saga generation image. David de Carteret, the director of tourism for Jersey said that the Island is trying to promote itself as more of an adventure tourism destination that includes activities such as sky-diving and surfing.

De Carteret said that online enquiries are up 30% year on year for last month with further increases expected as the new campaign gathers pace.

Thomsonfly is to add a number of new destinations to it’s program starting from just £19.99 on the 28th October.

The new programme from Cardiff airport will add Jersey, Barcelona and Gran Canaria to Thomsonflys existing schedule, prices are said to include all taxes and charges.

A £3 charge that is to be levied on all passengers flying from Norwich airport has been criticized by the Scottish Passenger Agents Association (SPAA).

The fee that is to be introduced from the 2nd of April is to help fund the £18 million re-development of the airport facilities as set out by Richard Jenner, the managing director of Norwich International Airport.

The SPAA secretary has written a letter of complaint to Norwich International airport and has described the introduction of the £3 charge as “outrageous”

An £18 million five year development plan has been set out to upgrade and improve almost all areas of Norwich International airport including check-in and retail facilities, better airport parking, new taxiways and new equipment for passenger and aircraft handling.

As from April 2nd, each passenger will be charged £3.00 when leaving the airport, the fee which has been defended by Richard Jenner, the managing director of Norwich International airport, will be paid at vending machines and would go towards the investment plan for the airport.

With passenger numbers predicted to increase from 450,000 passengers to nearer 800,000 this year, It’s clear to see that existing facilities like the Norwich airport lounge and the nearby Norwich holiday inn airport hotel will benefit from the investment and re-development of the airport site.

Doncasters Robin Hood airport has a new arrival in the form of a 10-foot-high bronze statue of the legendary Robin Hood. The unveiling was carried out by local actors Sean Bean and Brian Blessed who played the part of Lord Locksley in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Although Sean Bean never played the roll of the man in tights, he was picked in a poll as the star that most people wanted to see play the character.

The public were not invited to the grand unvieling at Doncaster airport as there were concerns that there could be a risk if people turned up in large numbers.