Exeter airport had just nine passengers in May

Just nine travellers handed as a result of Exeter airport in Could according to calamitous figures which show the depths of the journey crisis gripping Britain.

Traveller numbers plunged from virtually 100,000 a 12 months earlier, airport bosses unveiled in evidence to East Devon Council as they sought a bailout.

There were still 99.5pc much less people in July than very last 12 months and the airport faces a £620,000 invoice for business prices.

East Devon Council has handed a aid package deal which will allow £180,000 of the bill to be paid out over the following 3 decades – the maximum authorized below EU condition assist rules.

The slump has been reflected throughout Britain which includes at massive hub airports such as Heathrow, forcing airways and associated businesses to lay off tens of hundreds of staff members in a battle to survive as a golden age for air journey came to crashing halt.

General, passenger numbers at UK airports could plunge by 40pc 12 months on 12 months, according to Airways UK’s forecasts for the 12 months to July 2021.

Exeter suffered the double whammy when regional airline Flybe collapsed in March adopted by the pandemic that grounded  planes around the globe.

It is a spectacular tumble from grace following 1m travellers utilized the site in a 12-month time period for very first time in 2019.