Aberdeen Airport has seen passenger numbers fall 6.2 per cent as the ongoing downturn in the oil and gas market continues to bite.

The airport said it handled 322,948 passengers during September.

However a 0.5 per cent increase in international traffic, helped by new routes and visitors from the Offshore Europe Exhibition, could not offset a seven per cent dip in domestic numbers and a 14 per cent tumble in helicopter passengers.

Carol Benzie, managing director, said “Domestic and helicopter traffic continues to be impacted by the lower oil price, however, we were delighted to see our international passenger numbers remain strong.

“This is largely due to the popularity of new routes that were introduced earlier in the year, namely Gdansk and Faro.”