Fewer passengers passed through Dundee Airport last month than visited the airstrip on the tiny Outer Hebridean island of Benbecula.
Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce called for immediate action after it emerged passenger numbers at the Riverside airport slumped by more than 50% in December to little over 2000, following Loganair’s withdrawal of two scheduled services.
Chief executive Alan Mitchell said good air links are vital to the economic prosperity of the city and the transport hub is significant to the success of the city’s flagship £45m V&A design museum project.The HIAL-operated airport now has just one regular service to London, as well as private business including a summer charter to Jersey and the flying school.
Dundee’s waning passenger numbers saw it fall below Benbecula airport, which handled more than 2,600 passengers last month.
Over the full year, passenger traffic at Dundee was down 11.2% to 55,531.
The airport’s fortunes are in stark contrast to Inverness, which saw passengers numbers rise by more than 3% last year to in excess of 614,000.
Despite the dwindling returns, HIAL said it had never contemplated closing Dundee Airport and said efforts to identify new operators continue.
Budget firm Easyjet has previously said Dundee is not on its radar.
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