British airports see increase in traffic

LONDON, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- British airport operating group BAA said Tuesday passenger traffic increased 5.4 percent in September compared with last year.

The London-based British Airports Authority, which owns Heathrow and Gatwick airports as well as five other airports across Britain, said while there was a decrease in travel between European countries, the number of trans-Atlantic flights offset that dip, with North Atlantic air travel increasing 7.9 percent.

Passengers traveling through airports in the London area increased by 4.9 percent, the group said.