Passenger numbers at Bristol International Airport have dropped by 10 per cent in the last year.

Around 600,000 fewer people flew in and out of Lulsgate in the 12 months to November – bringing the total number of passengers down to 5.6 million, from 6.2 million a year ago.

Dropping passenger numbers saw the airport scale back its growth predictions as part of its £150 million expansion plans.

It originally expected annual passenger numbers to hit 10 million by 2015 – but now expects to hit that target by 2020.

On February 10, North Somerset Council will rule on the airport's planning application, which includes a multi-storey car park, expanded terminal, improved transport links and new administration offices. On Thursday, the Post revealed the airport is spending £10 million on changes to its plans.

They include a new flyer bus service from Weston, and increased funding for the £48 million Bus Rapid Transit scheme and the £47 million South Bristol Link road.

It is also reducing planned increases to night flights following feedback from councillors and public consultation.

Figures for November showed a 4.4 per cent drop in passengers compared to the same month in 2008.

In a statement, the airport said: "Load factors (the percentage of occupied seats on a plane) were strong, but seasonal reductions in airline schedules and adverse weather combined to deliver a slight decrease in passenger numbers against November 2008.

"Looking ahead, 100,000 passengers are expected to pass through the terminal during the lead up to Christmas.

"The first quarter of 2010 will see the introduction of new routes by Ryanair, easyJet and Flybe.

"Brussels Airlines will also operate a third daily flight to the Belgian capital from January 10, opening up access to onward connections across Europe and Africa."

Stop Bristol Airport Expansion (SBAE) spokesman Jeremy Birch said: "The airport is trying to put a brave face on dropping passenger numbers. The CAA figures tell a very different story from chief executive officer's Robert Sinclair's statement in October that passenger growth was back. The figures in November 2009 are still 9.5 per cent down on the same month in 2007. The passenger total for the last 12 months has dropped by 10 per cent, and is even below the total for 2006. Why does the airport need to expand when it is now attracting a smaller number of passengers?

"Most of the new routes the airport mentions are to tourist destinations – of little value to local businessmen and damaging to the South West's tourism economy. The adverse change to the exchange rate, creating a 30 per cent rise in the cost of foreign holidays, is responsible for the drop in international flights and is unlikely to recover in the short term.

"SBAE believes it is time that the airport woke up to reality and dropped its crazy and damaging expansion plans."