Trading is up at Britain's biggest airport operator.

The British Airports Authority (BAA), owner and operator of Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted and four other UK airports, has announced results for the five months leading up to the end of August.

Passenger numbers at all seven airports were up 2.6 per cent at 66 million compared to the same period in 2004.

The firm predicts growth of three per cent for the full year across all its British airports. Gatwick is bucking the trend with growth of 5.5 per cent during the 12 months to the end of August.

The £900 million Terminal 5 project at Heathrow is on schedule and on budget with 65 per cent of the work finished.

The new terminal building will be larger than Hyde Park.

BAA has confirmed it is bidding to take over the airport in Budapest, Hungary.

Wednesday, September 21, 2005