Prestwick Aviation Holdings, the holding company for the airport acquired by the Scottish Government for £1 a year ago, has recorded a pre-tax loss of £4.2million in the year to March 2014.

Infrastructure arm Prestwick Airport Ltd posted a £1.26m pre-tax profit, as reported by The Herald on Monday, but sister trading company Glasgow Prestwick Airport Ltd made an operating loss of £5.8m on turnover of £9.2m. No figures have been released by the Scottish Government.

Total group turnover was £11.8m, down from £12.5m in the previous year. The £4.2m loss compared with a £21.4m loss in 2012-13 after writedowns of £16.5m under previous owner Infratil. Passenger numbers were up from 1.08m to 1.11m and freight tonnes from 9,612 to 10,337.€‹