The number of flights to and from Gatwick fell last year as passengers stayed away in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

According to a written parliamentary answer, the average number of planes using the airport each day was 673 in 2001.

Transport minister David Jamieson said this compared to 693 in the previous 12 months.

The figure had been rising steadily since 1997, when commercial aircraft movements were recorded at 629 per day.

The slump in flight numbers has led to the loss of hundreds of jobs at the airport as firms such as British Airways made cutbacks.

Meanwhile, the Government is preparing to publish a consultation document on the future of air travel in the South East.

The report is expected to be released before Parliament rises for the summer recess at the end of the month.

It will address the thorny issue of plans for a second runway at Gatwick, amid recent speculation the Government has found a way of overcoming an agreement barring this from happening before 2019.

The 1979 deal was struck because of alarm sparked by proposals for a second Gatwick terminal.

Residents believed a second terminal meant another runway.

The British Airports Authority said a second runway was not in its plans and the agreement was drawn up to remove the issue from the public inquiry.