Cardiff Airport’s passenger numbers soaring to new heights

CARDIFF Airport achieved its highest monthly passenger number in a decade in June.

Boosted by 21,000 football fans using the Rhoose-based airport for the Champions League Final, it handled 185,787 passengers in total.

The figure is a 19% rise on June, 2016, and the highest monthly figure since it was bought by the Welsh Government for £52m in March, 2013 from Spanish conglomerate Abertis. At the time the annual passenger number had fallen below a million.

For the rolling year to the end of June, passenger numbers at the airport surpassed 1.4 million.

The highest annual passenger number achieved by the airport was 2.3 million when under the ownership of TBI back in 2007. That year it also achieved its highest-ever monthly figure – 264,656 in August.

Spencer Birn, commercial director of Cardiff Airport, said: “The first half of 2017 has seen a step-change for Wales’ national airport. We’ve welcomed new airlines and our existing airline partners are reacting to increased market demand by adding new routes and extra capacity.

“With Qatar Airways launching in 2018, we’ll be working with the airline to ensure this exciting service opens up new opportunities for customers in Wales and the South-West as the region’s first direct link to a major Middle East airport hub, offering connections across Africa, Asia, Australia and more.”