- Heathrow: 76 million passengers (+1pc on 2015). Its December passenger volumes set a new record, with 6.2 million passengers travelling through the airport (+4.4%)
- Manchester: Reaches 25 million passengers for the first time since opening in 1938, equating to year-on-year growth of 9.3pc.
- Stansted: Set a record as Britain’s fourth busiest airport, with over 24.3 million passengers in 2016.
Heathrow Airport welcomed a record 76 million passengers last year – with a rise of just 1pc.
The airport, still awaiting a third runway to fuel expansion and ease congestion, saw volumes rise in emerging markets in the Middle East (+16.9pc) and Asia (+3.2pc). North American routes saw a rise of just 2.1pc.
Heathrow Airport’s Christmas 2016 campaign
Meanwhile, Stansted Airport CEO Andrew Cowan said Ryanair was a key driver of the London airport’s growth as it welcomed 24.3 million passengers last year.
Mr Cowan said: “We are now serving more passengers than at any time in the airport’s history, adding over 1.75 million passengers in the last year alone, but doing it in a more efficient and sustainable way that has enabled us to beat the previous passenger record set in 2007 but with 25,000 fewer flights.
“We’ve seen positive growth from many of our airlines, particularly Ryanair who experienced a fantastic year and added 1.5 million passengers, and 2016 also saw British Airways start flights from Stansted for the very first time as well as the announcement that Jet2 will open its first base in the south of England this summer.”
Dublin Airport was the second most popular route at Manchester Airport, which reached the 25 million figure for passengers in 2-16.
Manchester Airport, the third largest in Britain, has capacity for 55 million passengers.
Collette Roche, Deputy CEO of Manchester Airport, said: “We have more than 22 million people living within two hours of Manchester Airport and our continued addition of new routes and increased frequencies is seeing both business and leisure customers choose Manchester, rather than other airports.”
Latest posts by TravelExtra (see all)
- TRAVEL Extra Remains Open for Business - April 26, 2020
- Irish Travel Agents Association announce upcoming events for Autumn 2020 - April 21, 2020
- Updated return to cruise dates - April 17, 2020
- Future of Aviation - April 15, 2020
- Travel Extra May 2020: Surviving the crisis - April 8, 2020
