The CAA has reported its findings from its 2007 Air Passenger Survey.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has published its 2007 Air Passenger Survey, which has revealed that the majority of passengers fly from London’s Heathrow airport, the main proportion being business travellers on the highest average annual income of £83,000.

The CAA questioned more than 210,000 passengers at the London airports of Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton, along with regional airports Doncaster Sheffield, Humberside, Liverpool and Manchester.

Leisure travellers predominantly travel from regional airports, with Doncaster Sheffield attracting the largest proportion at 94%, followed by Liverpool (89%), then Gatwick (82%). Visiting friends and family was also the main reason for travel through regional airports.

Heathrow passengers were the most likely to travel alone (66%), while the airport was also used by the highest proportion of non-UK residents (55%).

While CAA’s figures revealed that the majority of air passengers use Heathrow airport, September airport traffic statistics from BAA, owner of the London airport, revealed that Heathrow’s passenger total fell by 3.6%, in spite of a 9.6% increase in North Atlantic traffic. European scheduled traffic at Heathrow also experienced a decrease, with figures down by 8.1%.

For further information about the Air Passenger Survey, visit the CAA website.