Even January's cold snap didn't stop people flying

BAA said its seven British airports handled 9.3 million passengers.

North Atlantic passenger numbers rose despite a cold snap and British Airways cancelling flights due to US intelligence of terror threats.

The company added that other long-haul destinations jumped 10% to be the fastest growing among its key markets.

Passenger numbers at all of its South East airports had risen - with Southampton seeing traffic jump by 84% thanks to the continued growth of no-frills airline FlyBe.

Last week, BAA said growing confidence among airlines and a solid economy would underpin passenger growth as it unveiled an 8% rise in third-quarter operating profit, helped by higher landing charges and retail income at Heathrow.