Manchester Airports Group has reported a growth in passenger numbers for July.
The group, which operates Stansted, East Midlands, Bournemouth and Manchester airport saw passenger traffic jump 8.1 per cent.
The figures saw Manchester Airport grow 10 per cent year on year as more than 2.8 million passengers passed through its doors in July. Long haul traffic growth at Manchester has been strong, with very significant growth to Pakistan (+70%) and Qatar (+30%), while transatlantic traffic to the United States has also grown since last year (+11%).
London Stansted passenger numbers grew by 6.6 per cent year on year, driven by increased capacity to European destinations and boosted by the successful introduction of British Airways flights this summer.
In particular, the airport saw growth to eastern Mediterranean and Balkan countries, destinations that passengers are turning to for good value breaks. Croatia (+18%), Cyprus (+28%) and Slovenia (+30%) all saw significant growth and Bulgaria saw three times as many seats offered to passengers than in the same month last year as holidaymakers headed east for their summer sun.
East Midlands Airport posted a 6.3 per cent increase in passengers YoY, with once again the Eastern Mediterranean proving more popular than last year. Bulgaria (+26%), Croatia (+64%), and Greece (+25%) have all been experiencing exceptional summers so far. Meanwhile longhaul routes to the USA (+45%) and Mexico (+54%) are also all carrying record numbers.
Bournemouth Airport saw a small drop in passenger figures YoY, but key summer destinations like the Canary Islands, Greece, Portugal and Spain all saw their numbers increase.
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