A report has shown that Manchester is the most used UK airport for international business travel as The Financial Times reported that Manchester airport’s passenger numbers are rising 5.5 per cent year-on-year, reaching 21 million passengers per year, the highest number since 2008.
The majority of regional business travellers want more direct long-haul flights and greater capacity from their local airports, according to the Guild of Travel Management Companies (GMTC) research unveiled at its annual conference in Marrakech.
The GTMC survey questioned more than 1,000 frequent business travellers (taking three or more international business trips per year), who are living outside of London and the southeast.
It found four out of five respondents (84 per cent) called for more long-haul options out of regional airports, with 60 per cent saying these should be direct flights.
The importance of aviation capacity in the regions was highest in Northern Ireland, with 97 per cent calling for an increase, while only 50 per cent of regional travellers want capacity growth in London/southeast.
Despite this, Heathrow was their second-most used airport for international trips, after Manchester, with Birmingham and Edinburgh in third and fourth place.
A third of those polled said international business travel had increased in the last two years – but this was significantly higher within those polled from SME businesses.
Source and to read the full report go to Buying Business Travel