Good news on domestic aviation?

Here at Plane Stupid Towers we're usually full of gloomy, cynical predictions, jaded as we are by the outrageous behaviour of the aviation industry. So it's a real treat to relay some good news for once.

Passengers numbers on domestic UK flights have fallen for virtually the first time since domestic aviation began. Okay - so they've only fallen 0.8%, and to put this in perspective numbers of passengers on internal flights mushroomed over 60% in the last ten years alone.

Perhaps this small improvement is linked with the reduced train times on the West Coast Mainline, plus the increasingly positive attitude towards the railways held by passengers.

With rail traffic well over a billion km a year and approaching the record levels, could this be the start of the end for domestic air? Unlikely. The Government's plans for the rail network include tinkering here and there, with a couple of new carriages equipped with wifi - while giving the green light to every one of the regional airports who are looking to expand.