Dundee Airport achieved its largest number of passengers for five years while recording another multi-million-pound loss.
A total of 25,828 passengers used Dundee Airport in 2021/22 according to newly filed accounts from Highland and Islands Airports Limited.
This is more than four times the 2020/21 figure of 4,751 when trading was severely impacted by Covid-19 restrictions.
Logainair operates flights from Dundee to London City, Belfast, Kirkwall and Sumburgh.
Despite the increase in passenger numbers, the accounts for Dundee Airport Limited show a multi-million-pound loss for the second year running.
In the year to March 31 2022, the airport lost £2.2m on top of a £2.8m loss in 2021.
Government subsidy
Dundee Airport is one of 11 airports operated by HIAL, which is wholly owned by Scottish Ministers and subsidised by the Scottish Government.
In the financial year HIAL received a public subsidy of £76m.
Of this £36m was used for capital investment including new computer systems and runway resurfacing projects.
The other £40m is listed as ‘other income’ on the HIAL balance sheet in addition to £17.8m of revenue. HIAL made an overall loss of £3.4m.
Financial challenges
A HIAL spokesperson said the financial year brought a “mixture of optimism and challenge” for the aviation industry, as Covid rules and restrictions were lifted.
“This allowed HIAL get back to providing business as usual airport services very quickly, as the passenger figures for Dundee Airport suggest,” the spokesperson said.
“Recovery will take some time and we continue to do all we can to support our customers and partners.
“This year we saw the introduction of flights from Dundee to Sumburgh, demonstrating increasing confidence in the industry from partners.”
HIAL managing director Inglis Lyon said 2022 has brought “significant financial challenges”.
He said this year HIAL had “felt the cost of the Covid pandemic, coupled with rising inflation and increasing costs globally, affecting all aspects of our business”.
Earlier this week, passengers due to land in Dundee were diverted to Aberdeen at the last minute due to freezing fog.
HIAL is currently in a pay dispute with workers who have rejected a 5% pay rise.
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