Airports in the Scottish Highlands and Islands have seen a boost in passenger numbers in recent weeks.

An official statement from Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) said that September saw some 118,786 people pass through its 11 airports. When compared to the same month last year, the number marks rise of 4.4 per cent.

Inverness airport saw the biggest improvement –about 11.2 percent- as it hosted some 60,000 passengers last month, whilst Stornonway airport also experienced a welcomed rise of 5.9 per cent to about 11,600 passengers. Similarly, Sumburgh hosted 3.6 more passengers in September than a year ago, totalling to 15,751.

HIAL managing director Inglis Lyon called the results ‘fantastic’ and said that a large part of the significant increase had come thanks to new service between Inverness airport and Amsterdam, which got underway on 5 September and has been quite popular so far. He said further help came via new flights added between the company’s airports and Luton, Gatwick and Belfast, as did a number of private corporate events in the region.

The total HIAL passenger figure for 2011 is up nearly 10 per cent for the year thus far. HIAL, which receives subsidies from Scotland’s government, operates 11 facilities including Benbecula, Sumburgh, Dundee, Wick, Stornoway, Tiree, Inverness and Campbeltown.