Cutbacks by low-cost airlines hit passenger numbers at Stansted Airport in November, operator BAA said today.
Ryanair and German budget airline Air Berlin's moves to reduce their winter schedule caused a 6.3 per cent decline in traffic at the airport compared to the same month last year.
Ryanair attacked Stansted's higher costs and "appalling" service in July after the airport doubled its charges in April. The carrier said it was more profitable to ground seven of its 40 aircraft this winter than fly them.
BAA, which is owned by Spanish infrastructure firm Ferrovial, said 1.55 million passengers used the airport last month.
The fall in numbers at Stansted contrasted with a 1.5 per cent increase in passengers to 10.8 million across the group's seven UK airports.
Passengers tempted into transatlantic shopping trips by the weaker US dollar led to a 5.9 per cent jump in North American traffic. Other long-haul routes were up 7per cent.
The increases compared with a 4.3 per cent fall in domestic passengers, and flat European chartered traffic.
Among its other airports, Heathrow continued its recovery from the disruption of terrorist alerts in 2006 as passengers rose 2.4 per cent to 5.22 million over the same month last year.