Cornwall Airport Newquay reports passenger numbers were up 15% over the busy Easter period compared with last year and the airport is optimistic for the summer ahead.

The busy start of the holiday season also saw the start of Newquay’s summer schedule, to which a number of new routes have been added this year

FlyBe’s new Doncaster-Sheffield three-time-weekly service started on March 24 and its daily Birmingham  and London Stansted  summer services recommenced on March 27.

The Easter weekend also saw the introduction of the Embraer 195 Jet on the three times daily London Gatwick and daily Manchester service – increasing capacity on these routes and reducing flights times by 10 minutes in each direction.

The Airport Development Fee – the £5 levy for each departing passenger – ceased with effect from Easter Sunday.

In addition to the start of the new Flybe routes, March also saw the recommencement of the Aer Lingus Regional Dublin service, which has returned with increased frequency and a longer season.

This coming Sunday (April 3) sees the return of Ryanair to Cornwall with its two new routes to Alicante and Frankfurt-Hahn. April and May will see the start of all other seasonal routes including new destinations for 2016 such as Aberdeen, Liverpool and Glasgow as well as the return of popular routes such as Belfast, Edinburgh and Newcastle.

Airport managing director Al Titterington said: ’The start of the busy summer period marks the busiest period for Cornwall Airport Newquay in a number of years.

’The airport carried over 250,000 passengers this past year and the forecast is over 370,000 – that’s 50% growth – for the coming financial year, making the Airport the fastest growing Airport in the UK this year, which is good news for Cornwall and its economy.’