EasyJet enjoyed a big rise in passenger numbers in December as Britons put aside concerns about the falling pound to seek out winter sun in the Canaries or Spain. European city breaks were also popular in the run-up to Christmas.
The budget airline flew nearly 5.6 million passengers last month, 731,720 more than a year earlier – a 15.1% rise. This took the number of passengers transported in 2016 to 74.5 million, up 6.6% on the previous year.
Lower fares have helped, with easyJet cutting prices by about 6% in each of the past two years, passing on lower fuel costs in the wake of the oil price slump. Fuel makes up a third of the airline’s overall costs. It has also increased capacity by adding 17 planes since 2015, taking the total to 260 in December.
Traffic to Mediterranean beach destinations rose by nearly a quarter, as Brits headed to Tenerife, Lanzarote and Malaga, as well as taking a new route to La Palma.
Figures from Gatwick, also released on Friday, painted a similar picture. Britain’s second largest airport said 43 million people travelled through it last year – a new record. The airport recorded 3.1 million passengers in December, 15% more than a year earlier.
The airport operator said there was a clear split in December, with travellers opting for either very cold or very hot climes. Popular wintry destinations included Finland and Iceland, while winter sun was sought in La Palma, the Canary Islands, St Lucia and Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
EasyJet said passengers also flocked to cities across Europe in the run-up to Christmas, with a year-on-year increase of 15% in December. Among the most popular destinations were London, Amsterdam, Paris, Geneva and Milan. Many Brits also flew home for Christmas, with travel within the UK increasing by 16% year on year.
This comes as welcome news for the airline, which had a rough ride over the year as a whole. EasyJet recorded a sharp fall in annual profits – its first decline in six years – after being hit by the slide in sterling, multiple terrorist attacks and airport strikes. It expects a further drop this year.
Its rival Ryanair also recorded strong growth in passenger numbers in December: earlier this week it reported a 20% rise to 9 million customers. The Irish carrier transported 117 million people last year, up 15% on 2015.
Analysts at Liberum said the December figures were boosted by a weak period in 2015: “Strong figures at first glance, but against a depressed comparative that was impacted by the closure of Sharm el-Sheikh and the aftermath of the Paris attacks.”
Long-haul travel is booming, according to Gatwick, growing nearly 27% last month. Toronto airport saw the biggest increase in passenger numbers in 2016, at 97%, as holidaymakers followed in Prince Harry’s footsteps. Belfast International was also popular, with an 83% jump in passenger numbers last year. Gatwick credited the “Game of Thrones effect” as tourists travelled to Northern Ireland to visit locations for the TV series.
