- Gatwick set for record-breaking Bank Holiday with nearly 600,000 passengers passing through the airport
- Bank Holiday passengers have increased by 17.2% since the airport became independent from BAA in 2009
- Berlin is the fastest growing route since last August Bank Holiday +54% on 2014 joined by Madrid +26% and Istanbul +22%. Long-haul leisure destinations also prove popular with Orlando +15%, Las Vegas +8% and Cancun +5% on this time last year
LONDON, 2015-8-28 — /Travel PR News/ — London Gatwick is set for its busiest ever August Bank Holiday weekend as 580,000 passengers plan to travel through the airport. This is an increase of +17.2% on Bank Holiday passenger numbers since the airport became independent from BAA in 2009.
Berlin sees the biggest rate of growth of any destination, rising by 54% on 2014 joined by Madrid +26% and Istanbul +22%. Norwegian Air combined with easyJet accounts for growth to Berlin, providing competition on this key business and city break route.
The introduction of new Gatwick airline Pegasus complements Turkish Airlines and gives passengers greater choice in serving the Turkish capital.
Long-haul leisure destinations continue to prove popular with Orlando passenger numbers up 15%, with Las Vegas +8% and Cancun +5% on last August Bank Holiday.
As well as increased capacity with British Airways and Virgin Atlantic – passengers are able to take advantage of the Orlando route on the Norwegian Air Dreamliner, an option that was not available last year.
The top ten destinations Gatwick passengers will be flying to this August Bank Holiday are:
- Barcelona
- Palma de Mallorca
- Malaga
- Faro
- Dublin
- Alicante
- Orlando
- Dalaman
- Madrid
- Dubai
Gatwick Chief Financial Officer Nick Dunn said:
“Our record-breaking Bank Holiday figures show that competition is a great thing for passengers. In the short space of time since becoming independent, we have become an airport of choice offering more destinations than any other UK airport.
“Our long-haul destinations are growing fastest of the routes we serve and, with routes to Costa Rica and Peru – which will be the UK’s only direct flights to Lima – and new services to Canada starting next year, Gatwick continues to show that it is well placed to meet the needs of travellers.”
About Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is the UK’s second largest airport and the most efficient single-runway airport in the world. It serves more than 200 destinations in 90 countries for more than 39 million passengers a year on short and long-haul point-to-point services. It is also a major economic driver for the South-East region, generating around 21,000 on-airport jobs and a further 10,000 jobs through related activities. The airport is 28 miles south of London with excellent public transport links, including the Gatwick Express. Gatwick Airport is owned by a group of international investment funds, of which Global Infrastructure Partners is the largest shareholder.
The Government has indicated that it will make a decision over whether London Gatwick or Heathrow should be permitted to build a new runway by the end of the year. Expansion at Gatwick will best meet the UK’s aviation needs for the future, can provide the greatest economic boost with the least environmental impact, and a new runway can be operational by 2025. For further information, see: www.gatwickobviously.com
Media enquiries to
GATWICK AIRPORT PRESS OFFICE
+ 44 (0) 1293 505000
gatwickmedia@gatwickairport.com
For further information on Gatwick Airport see www.gatwickairport.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Gatwick_Airport