Newcastle Airport saw losses widen in 2021 as the Covid pandemic saw passenger numbers fall to a fraction of previous levels, new accounts show.
The airport has released accounts which show that passenger numbers in 2021 were just above 1m, well below the 5m seen in pre-pandemic times. And though revenues increased slightly from a year earlier to £15.1m, operating losses more than doubled to £12.9m.
Airport bosses, who say the current year has seen a “strong recovery”, did not pay any dividends to its owners: the seven North East councils and private investment group AMP Capital. It said coronavirus and the risk of new variants remained a “significant external risk” but said it was well placed to react to any new scenarios.
