By Brian Smith, aviation reporter

BOOSTED BY figures from its recently acquired Dundee subsidiary, more than one million passengers used Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) sites in the past nine months.

Dundee Airport, which transferred to HIAL on December 1, saw 3310 passengers use it in the month which brought its nine month running total to 54,563, a 34% increase on the year. The airport handled almost 29,000 aircraft movements.

A spokesperson for HIAL said the strong showing at Dundee reflected the Birmingham and Belfast services operated by flyWhoosh until December.

The spokesperson added that HIAL is in contact with a couple of airlines, with discussions taking place on new services. No decision is expected before next month at the earliest.

Passenger numbers at Highlands and Islands Airports increased by 4% to the end of December, totalling 1,000,804, figures published today show. Aircraft movements for the same period totalled 80,000.

The Scottish Government owned airport operator is on target for its busiest ever year to the end of March.

HIAL managing director Inglis Lyon said, “This is our seventh consecutive year of growth. Despite the recent news that bmi will cease its Inverness to Heathrow link at the end of March, we are still on track for our busiest ever year with passenger increases across all but one of our airports to date.

“With Flybe expanding the range of destinations it offers from Inverness in the spring, Loganair’s franchise agreement with Flybe coming into effect in October and Loganair’s introduction of a service between Norway and Shetland in June we expect further growth.”