Passenger numbers at Exeter International Airport for the last financial year have risen by a substantial 71% compared to the same period last year. The number of people flying from or to the regional airport from 1 April 2004 until 31 March 2005 has totalled 670,690 and the scheduled services have, in the main, been responsible for the increase. Flybe, with its headquarters at Exeter, saw an overall increase of 32% for all routes but the airline’s passengers that used Exeter International Airport during the past year totalled 365,130, which is an amazing 222%.
In the spring of 2004 daily flights to Edinburgh were Glasgow were introduced by flybe, together with regular services to Faro, Alicante and Malaga. Newcastle was added last October and the latest additions of Brest, Palma and Paris started at Easter. The Channel Island and Dublin routes remained popular.
Mike Rutter, sales and marketing director at flybe, said he was delighted with the performance. We are committed to growing operations at Exeter International Airport and with the new routes coming into operation, it is extremely pleasing. The 11% increase of passengers using the Skybus services to the Isles of Scilly also added to the record breaking scheduled service figures for Exeter International Airport. The 25 charter flight routes saw an overall percentage point increase in passenger numbers with Turkey being the best performer due to the extra weekly flights serving the resorts in the past year. The weekly Toronto flights, which have been established for over sixteen years, had a passenger increase of 22% on the route to and from Canada in the 2004 summer season.
