A record number of passengers used Highlands and Islands’ 11 airports across Scotland last year.
The rise of 4.7% to more than 1.4 million was hailed by managing director Inglis Lyon who said it provided evidence of the UK air travel industry’s sustained growth.
Passenger numbers fell at only three of HIAL’s airports, with Dundee recording the biggest slump at 17% to 22,328 customers.
Dundee, which operates a daily service to London Stansted along with summer charters, flying school and private flights, was still the busiest in the HIAL chain in terms of movement.
A total of 37,153 planes took off and landed from Dundee in the year to March 31, a fall of 5% from the previous 12 months. Across the 11 airports there was a 3.4% fall in movements to 124,738.
Excluding Dundee, passenger numbers were up by 5.1% and aircraft movements down 2.7%.
Inverness was the busiest airport in the group with 657,661 passengers, up 6% on the previous year, pushing passenger numbers at the Highland terminal to a six-year high.
Despite fluctuations in the oil price and structural changes in the energy sector, Sumburgh was another strong performer, recording an 8% increase in passenger numbers.
Proportionately the best performing airport was Barra with a 14% leap in passengers. A factor was visitors from across the globe being eager to experience the exhilarating beach landing.
HIAL’s revenue for the year was down 1.9% at £19.36 million, but an operating loss reduced from £3.8m to £442,000 produced a pre-tax loss for the year down 75% at £1.13m.
The airport operator is owned by the Scottish Government and has historically operated at a commercial loss in order to sustain its lifeline services.
The improved performance in 2014/15 was due to Scottish Government subsidies returning to normal levels of £20.1m from £14.9m the previous year when HIAL drew from its own cash reserves.
Mr Lyon said the increased traffic, continued expansion at Inverness and Sumburgh, and new airline partnerships made it easier than ever to see the world from HIAL’s airports.