EasyJet and Norwegian report traffic growth for 2017
EasyJet carried almost 10% more travellers in 2017 than in 2016, according to its latest figures released today.
Passenger numbers in December rose 5.5% year-on-year to just under 5.9 million passengers, despite adverse weather conditions and industrial action causing 580 cancellations.
Load factor increased by 1.5 percentage points to 91.4%.
The rolling 12-month passenger figure was 81.6 million, a jump of 9.6% on the 74.5 million people who travelled in 2016.
Meanwhile, Norwegian reported its highest ever annual passenger figures, with more than 33 million passengers and a load factor of 87.5%.
It said 54 new routes, mainly between Europe and the US, had fuelled the growth.
Chief executive Bjorn Kjos said: "Our international footprint grows stronger, in line with the Norwegian Group’s strategy. Our Scandinavian operation is stable and positive, and we see that our long-haul and short-haul networks complement each other, consequently strengthening our competitiveness.
"Our growing long-haul networks from the UK and Ireland continue to be well-received by passengers, proving the demand for high-quality, affordable travel. Increased tourism creates economic value and new jobs at all the destinations we serve."
Norwegian carried 2,402,005 passengers in December, up 12% from the same month last year. The load factor was 84.6%, the same as December 2016.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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