Brits stay at home for Christmas

(24 December 2008)

Fewer passengers are flying out of the UK this festive season, according to figures released yesterday (Tuesday).

BAA saw a drop of 4.5% in the number of passengers flying out if its seven UK airports compared to the same period last year. 7.9 million people will fly between 15 December and 6 January compared with 8.2 million last year.

Train companies have seen an increase of 4.5% on the same period last year, with 22 million people choosing to make their journey by rail.

The decline in air passenger numbers is being blamed on the economic downturn, as hard-up Brits choose to avoid overseas holidays made more expensive by the falling Pound.