Over 200,000 passengers use international routes as Belfast City Airport surpasses 2015 figure.
George Best Belfast City Airport has smashed its annual international passenger record almost four months before the end of the year.
The end of August saw the airport beat the previous annual high of 171,270, set last year, with the 2016 figure having now climbed to 200,977. At this stage in September last year, 128,709 passengers had arrived and departed on the airport’s international routes.
Over 150,000 passengers have taken advantage of Belfast City Airport’s sunshine routes in 2016, which now includes Alicante as well as Malaga, Faro and Palma, while Brussels Airlines has recorded consecutive monthly growth since the launch of its five times weekly Brussels flights from Belfast City Airport in March this year.
KLM, meanwhile, has carried over 55,000 passengers since the airline began its Amsterdam Schiphol service from Belfast City in May 2015.
Katy Best, Commercial and Marketing Manager at Belfast City Airport, commented: “To reach the milestone of over 200,000 international passengers almost four months before the end of the year is fantastic news for the airport and for the city of Belfast, and provides a major boost for Northern Ireland tourism.
“The record passenger figures reflect our plans to significantly grow our European route network and are further evidence of the public demand for flights to key European destinations from an airport so close to Belfast city centre.
“We have received fantastic feedback on our new routes to Brussels and Amsterdam with our partners Brussels Airlines and KLM, both of whom have enjoyed growth in seat sales.
“Our sunshine routes have proved as popular as ever this year and, with the addition in June of Alicante to our flights to Malaga, Faro and Palma, it’s been a really strong summer for Aer Lingus at Belfast City Airport.”
Belfast City Airport’s breaking of its annual international passenger record follows news last month that the airport has been shortlisted for a World Routes Marketing Award, one of the most prestigious aviation marketing awards in the world.
The airport has also been ranked as the sixth most convenient airport in the world, and the most convenient airport in the UK and Ireland, in a recent study conducted by The Daily Telegraph.
Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “Congratulations to Belfast City Airport on reaching this major milestone. The latest figures published by NISRA confirm that we welcomed almost 400,000 overseas visitors to Northern Ireland in the first quarter of 2016, an increase of +8% over the same three-month period in 2015.
“Tourism Ireland is determined to ensure that tourism growth continues. Today, we are launching our £7 million autumn campaign, to boost late-season travel to Northern Ireland from around the world.
“As an island destination, the importance of convenient, direct, non-stop flights to Northern Ireland cannot be overstated – there is a proven direct correlation between access and growth in visitor numbers.
“Tourism Ireland is committed to working with Belfast City Airport, our airline partners and other tourism partners, to identify and help close gaps in air services to Northern Ireland, stimulate new flights and jointly promote existing routes.”
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