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A Sharp decline in holiday charter flights from Inverness Airport was blamed yesterday on changes in the way people book their summer breaks.
The number of chartered flights halved in the past two years.
Holiday companies operated 41 return flights from Inverness airport in 2004/5, but only 20 in 2005/06.
However the total number of passengers using the airport is rising, with 700,000 people predicted to pass through the airport between 2005/06.
Nat Anderson of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), which operates 10 airports, said that the rise in people using the internet to book the separate parts of their holiday had contributed to the decline of chartered package flights. Overall the number of chartered flights has declined since 2002/03, when the airport handled 9,406 passengers on 52 flights. During 2003/04 there were 39 flights carrying 6,502 people.
Mr Anderson said: "The charter market has always made up a relatively small proportion of Inverness Airport's business and this year's drop in charter passengers is a result of Transun withdrawing most of its programme at Inverness. Thomson and Newmarket Holidays flights have proved very successful this year and both operators have already confirmed destinations and dates for summer 2006.
"In general terms UK airports are seeing a decline in charter markets due to changing travel and holiday patterns with people more likely to book flights and hotels independently of traditional holiday companies.
"The trend at Inverness is for scheduled passenger growth which is driven by successful route development in recent years. The airport is on target to handle twice as many passengers this year compared to the 350,000 it handled in 2000."
The figures came as the airport launched its charter programme for 2006, with flights from the Highland capital to the Mediterranean now on sale.
James Walton, Inverness Airport manager said: " The convenience of travelling from their local airport is clearly winning people over to starting their holidays at Inverness and we expect the 2006 charter programme to be a popular element of the airport's expanding range of services."
Holiday company Thomson is offering 5 holidays to Majorca in June and July, while Newmarket Holidays is operating three to Italy in July.
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