London Gatwick Readies for Busiest Bank Holiday Weekend
Airline News
London Gatwick is ready for its busiest ever August Bank Holiday weekend as more than 580,000 passengers are expected to pass through the airport.
The number represents a 17.2 per cent increase on numbers since 2009 โ when the airport became independent from BAA.
Among the destination vacationers are flying to, Berlin registered the biggest year-over-year growth, with 54 per cent, followed by Madrid, with 26 per cent and Istanbul rising 22 per cent.
Long-haul leisure destinations remain popular with Orlando reporting a 15 per cent growth in passenger numbers, with Las Vegas being up eight per cent over last August Bank Holiday and Cancun up five per cent.
Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Malaga and Faro are the rest of the top ten destinations Gatwick passengers will be travelling to this August Bank Holiday.
Norwegian Air combined with easyJet are responsible for Berlin's growth, as the competition on this key business and city break route offered more convenient offerings when booking a flight.
"Our record-breaking Bank Holiday numbers show competition is a wonderful thing for passengers," said Gatwick chief financial officer Nick Dunn.
"In the short space of time since becoming independent, we have become an airport of choice offering travellers more destinations than any other airport in the UK.
"Our long-haul destinations are growing fastest of the routes we serve and, with services to Costa Rica and Peru โ which will be the UK's only direct flights to Lima โ and new services to Canada starting next year, Gatwick continues to deliver and respond to traveller's needs."