Capital airport enjoys record November

Edinburgh Airport revealed 860,966 passengers travelled through the hub last month '“ the busiest ever November for a Scottish airport.

Gordon Dewar welcomed the news. Picture; contributed

The growth of international passenger numbers has been credited with the success, with a near 20 per cent increase in this area compared to the same month last year.

Gordon Dewar, chief executive at Edinburgh Airport, welcomed the figures but called for the abolition of air passenger duty (APD).

He said: “November’s passenger figures are worth celebrating. In what is traditionally one of the quiet months in aviation, we have witnessed a 20 per cent increase in passengers on international flights.

“There can be no room for complacency and Edinburgh Airport supports calls to abolish long-haul air passenger duty.

“We warmly welcome the recognition that international connectivity is a key driver for Scotland’s economy.”

Meanwhile, Glasgow Airport chiefs reported their busiest November in 50 years with a 7.7 per cent increase in travellers, with a total of 666,338 passengers.

International traffic was up 14.9 per cent on last year while domestic traffic rose 2.2 per cent following strong demand for London service.