UK consumers continued to spend at the start of the 2007, helping in-flight caterer and airport retailer Alpha Airports deliver healthy turnover growth.

In a statement today Alpha Airports said it had seen group turnover rise 6% year-on-year from 1 February to 23 May, thanks to a strong retail performance.

A robust performance at UK airport shops and catering outlets especially, saw turnover growth of 8% with rest of the world retail growth at 7% within its Alpha Retail division.

Alpha Flight Services, the company’s in-flight catering, management and catering logistics arm, saw overall turnover increase 5% in the period.

Within its Alpha Flight Services division its in-flight retail business saw strong growth in the UK, also, with this performance off-setting the loss of ThomsonFly and BA Connect contracts and leading to turnover growth of 1%. Internationally in-flight retail turnover increased 27%.

Alpha Airports recently signed a franchise deal with American coffee-bar chain Starbucks to open the latter’s branded outlets at its UK airport retail sites.

Alpha Airports hit by £11m bill relating to last year's accounting scandal >>

Alpha Airports win two UK airport deals >>

By Chris Druce

E-mail your comments to Chris Druce here.