Passenger numbers at Dundee Airport have fallen by almost 30% due to the withdrawal if the Flybe service to Amsterdam, it has been revealed.
According to figures by operator Highlands and Islands Ltd (HIAL), between April and June 2017 there were 2,690 fewer passengers compared to the same period in 2016.
Dundee’s air base was just one of two airports operated by HIAL to lose passenger numbers – the other being Wick John O’Groats airport, which saw a decline of 20% due to reduced demand from energy sector services.
Meanwhile, the other nine airports managed by the company experienced a rise in numbers, some by as much as 26%.
Dundee’s development convener Lynne Short said the figures were a “slight blip” that would soon be fixed – although there were still no concrete plans about the way forward.
She explained: “Colleagues across the region, Scottish Government and Westminster are constantly in discussions on how to open up the routes.
“The airport is still very much a lynchpin of the city’s development. Where else can you find a city with an airport within walking distance of the city centre?
“This is a slight blip but the airport is very much something that is being worked on, on both local and national level.
“Flights to and from Dundee open up Fife, Angus and Perth and Kinross to visitors, and these are all partners in the Tay Cities deal.”
The Dundee to Amsterdam flights were re-routed through Edinburgh in November and officially suspended until further notice in January, with Flybe claiming claiming there was not enough radar coverage to handle its “large passenger aircraft”.
HIAL Managing Director Inglis Lyon said: “Our regional airports continue to play a key role, enhancing and supporting Scotland’s economy and offering great choice for both business and leisure passengers, particularly during the holiday season.
“Our commitment is to continue to invest in our airports, and further develop our customer service as we attract new business and look to build upon these levels of growth.”
