PRESTWICK airport expects passenger numbers to take off this year thanks to a resurgence of traditional holiday destinations and plans by Ryanair to increase its capacity this summer.
Scots flocking to the Mediterranean for a winter break have already driven a 29 per cent increase in passenger numbers in the three months to the end of January, and the airport expects the momentum to continue.
Chief executive Iain Cochrane said: “Our strategy of positioning Glasgow Prestwick as Scotland’s low-cost gateway to popular holiday destinations is paying off, with an increased number of flights to Mediterranean favourites such as Alicante, Barcelona, Malaga, Murcia and Palma.”
The Canary Islands have also proved popular.
Cochrane said he was cautiously optimistic for the rest of 2013 after January saw a “satisfying” 31 per cent rise in passenger traffic year-on-year.
“Thanks to new routes and extra frequencies announced by our partner Ryanair for our summer programme, looking ahead we expect passenger numbers will continue to rise,” he said.
The airport announced it was creating 50 fixed-term jobs from the end of March to gear up for the busy summer programme. The new staff will work in a number of passenger-focused areas around the airport.