Gatwick has suffered more than any other airport from the downturn in transatlantic travel since September 11.

The number of transatlantic flights to and from the West Sussex airport have dipped 22 per cent in the last two months, figures from airline schedule publishers OAG showed.

Only Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport, with a drop of 20 per cent in transatlantic flights, came close to the Gatwick fall, OAG said.

The company said:

The number of transatlantic flights to and from Heathrow airport in west London have fallen 11 per cent
European international flights to and from the US have dipped 16 per cent
US domestic flight levels have fallen 15 per cent
International flights to and from Europe have fallen ten per cent, while flights within Europe have fallen three per cent
International flights to and from Asia have fallen eight per cent, while the number for Central and South America is 17 per cent down and for Africa and the Middle East 7 per cent down.

OAG Worldwide chairman, Eddie Bell, said: "Clearly, airlines are operating in the most difficult circumstances and this is reflected in the significant decline in capacity.

"Scheduled flights across the Atlantic are the hardest hit, but things do appear to have stabilised now.

"With the operating environment continuing to change, and in light of Monday's tragic crash, it is difficult to predict what will happen in the days and weeks ahead."