BAA traffic in Dec up 1.6 pct, but fog leads to 175,000 fewer passengers UPDATE

(adds detail from statement)

LONDON (AFX) - Airports operator BAA said it handled 1.6 pct more passengers in December than in the same month a year ago, although last month's fog hit traffic levels.

BAA, owned by Spanish construction firm Grupo Ferrovial SA, said its seven UK airports handled a total of 10.9 mln passengers in December, taking the calendar year total to 147.7 mln, an increase of 2.3 pct.

However, BAA said it estimated that about 175,000 fewer passengers used its airports as a result of the fog in the week before Christmas - about 1.7 pct of the total that would have been carried had it not been for the cancellations to flights caused by the bad weather.

BAA said all its airports were affected by the fog that hung over the south of England for about five days before the holiday, normally a particularly busy period.

It said the bad weather most disrupted its domestic and short haul European services, with domestic traffic down 5.8 pct and growth on European scheduled routes reduced to 3 pct.

North Atlantic traffic grew 1.1 pct and other long haul routes collectively increased by 8.1 pct.

Traffic at Heathrow fell 2.4 pct, but passenger numbers were 8.8 pct up at Gatwick, which was less affected by the fog. Stansted was up 3.9 pct and Southampton increased by 2.2 pct.

BAA said the lower number of domestic services from London also hit its three Scottish airports, with each experiencing a drop in recent growth trends. Passenger numbers at Glasgow increased 2.3 pct, Edinburgh was up 0.3 pct and Aberdeen lifted by 9.5 pct.

As a result of the bad weather, the total number of air transport movements at BAA airports was down 1.2 pct and cargo tonnage was down 15.3 pct. [e-mail] paw/ks COPYRIGHT Copyright AFX News Limited 2006. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News. AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited