BAA the UK airports operator, said it carried 9.3 million passengers in January, a 4.8 per cent increase on the same month last year and in-line with the group's projections.
Last week, when BAA reported third quarter results, the group reiterated its forecast of around 4 per cent passenger traffic growth for its current financial year to end-March 2004 and, notwithstanding external shocks, said it was comfortable with market forecasts of 5 per cent for next year.
In January there was growth at all BAA's airports in the south east. Heathrow added 3.4 per cent, Gatwick grew by 2.9 per cent and Stansted added 14.8 per cent.
There was an 84 per cent rise at Southampton with the continued growth of no-frills airline FlyBe.
Scotland rose 0.1 per cent compared to last January 2003, reflecting some contraction of the low fare market there.
Across the group the number of air transport movements was up 1.4 per cent on last January and cargo activity continued its gradual recovery with a 2.6 per cent increase.
Among key markets, the fastest growing was long haul (excluding North Atlantic traffic), up 10 per cent on last year, while European scheduled traffic was per cent ahead of last January.