Popularity of regional airports set to rise

The UK's regional airports will increase in popularity as holidaymakers grow more accustomed to their convenience, it has been suggested.

Leeds Bradford Airport, one of the UK's leading regional airports, collated passenger statistics that show a 75 per cent increase in the number of travellers passing through its concourse.

Spokesman Tony Hallwood attributed that expansion to the notion that regional bases are now seen as viable alternatives to major hubs such as London Heathrow Airport.

Illuminating the potential benefits of departing from a local airport, Hallwood said: "As [regional] airports introduce more destinations and more choice with a wider number of scheduled airlines, there is now less need for people to trawl down to London to connect to flights worldwide."

Other analysts note that regional airports tend to be relatively small in size, entailing shorter check-in times and being easier to traverse.

The Civil Aviation Authority estimates that 42 per cent of the 241 million passengers who pass through the UK's airports each year depart from a regional base.

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