Soaraway success
A record- breaking 700,000 passengers jetted out of Glasgow Airport in a single month.
The remarkable seven per cent rise on last year comes as the hub reveals a 20.5 per cent increase in demand for European destinations.
Services to Paris, Valencia, Lisbon and Berlin are all performing well, with long-haul carriers Emirates and Virgin Atlantic also seeing an uplift in passenger numbers. This contributed to an overall increase in international traffic of 13.7 per cent.
Domestic traffic also experienced a rise of 1.4 per cent, with British Airways, easyJet and Flybe all reporting an increase in demand for their London and UK regional services.
Airport managing director Amanda McMillansaid: “Our performance during the first quarter of 2017 has ensured we’ve made our busiest-ever start to any year.
“Our continued growth is a direct result of our efforts in securing new routes and services for our passengers.
“We have succeeded in significantly s t rengthening our European connectivity since the start of 2016 and we will launch direct flights to Madrid, Frankfurt and Krakow later this year.
“This not only opens up a host of new markets for our passengers, it provides our tourism industry with a muchneeded boost by ensuring Scotland is more accessible.
“Earlier this year Glasgow, through its Tourism and Visitor Plan to 2023, set out how it aims to attract one million more visitors to the city and position it as the gateway to Scotland.
“Glasgow Airport has a key role in supporting this ambition.
“If the city and Scotland are to continue to attract further visitors and enjoy the associated economic uplift, then it’s important we address the high levels of Air Passenger Duty which put our airports at a severe disadvantage when it comes to competing with our European and global counterparts.”