More people are flying on low-cost airlines

Luton-based budget airline Easyjet said it carried 1.89m passengers during September - an increase of 18.6% on a year earlier.

At the same time, airports operator TBI reported growth of 29% in the number of passengers using low-cost services from its four European airports.

TBI said the launch of bmibaby services from Cardiff International and the use of Stockholm-Skavsta by Ryanair had fuelled the growth rate.

At Luton, low-cost passenger numbers rose 3% to 1.4m in the three-month period to September as TBI offset the drop in charter traffic following tour operator MyTravel's decision to withdraw services from the airport.

Increase fleet

Easyjet has told TBI that it intends to increase its fleet at Luton from 12 to at least 14 and Italian low-cost operator Volare is to establish a base there.

TBI, which also operates Belfast International Airport, said almost two-thirds of its passengers now used low-cost airlines.

In total, numbers increased during the three months by 14% to 4.2m, despite the loss of full-service flights at Belfast and Cardiff.