LONDON – London Stansted Airport has recorded its strongest recovery in passenger volumes yet in November.
The airport welcomed 1.83 million passengers during November, representing 97% of the passengers served in the same month in 2019, the highest proportion of traffic seen at Stansted throughout the recovery period.
In the 12 months ending November 2022, the airport served more than 22.3 million passengers, an increase of 247% on the same period in 2021.
Stansted’s recovery has been driven by its wide range of popular European destinations which continue to prove extremely popular with passengers, with traffic at some points outstripping demand seen before the pandemic.
Operational performance also remained positive with 99% of passengers passing through security in less than 15 minutes.
Ciaron Brannigan, London Stansted’s Commercial Director, said: “We’re delighted with the continuation of the strong traffic trends in the winter season.”
“This recovery has been underpinned by the introduction of new routes from Ryanair, including Catania (Italy), Asturias (Spain), Klagenfurt (Austria), Leipzig (Germany and Edinburgh, as well as capacity increases from Play to Reykjavik and Pegasus to Istanbul.
“With a busy festive season soon to be upon us, we expect to see passenger demand at the airport remain very strong over the period.”
MAG Airports outlook
Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which owns London Stansted, released its half-year results for the period ending 30 September 2022 earlier this month.
London Stansted’s recovery was among the strongest in the UK, owing to its extensive low-cost European network.
A total of 14 million passengers passed through its doors in the first half of the year, up from 3.5 million the previous year, and representing 88% of passenger volumes in the same period pre-pandemic in 2019.
The airport consistently delivered strong operational performance during the summer season, with 99% of passengers passing through security within 15 minutes.
During the summer, Emirates returned in August with daily flights to Dubai, and looking to the future, the airport hopes to expand its long-haul network.
Overall, MAG says that its decision not to impose capacity restrictions on its airlines also contributed to the strong performance, allowing carriers to meet passenger demand over the summer period.
The Group owns London Stansted, Manchester and East Midlands Airports.
Following an extensive recruitment campaign, service levels across MAG’s airports are now at, or above, those delivered before the Covid19 pandemic.
Looking ahead to next year, the Group’s airports are continuing to recruit new staff to be able to deliver further improvements in customer service.
While wider economic factors, including the cost of living, could dampen growth in demand for international travel over the coming months, the Group remains confident its positive recovery will continue.
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