Figure is LJLA’s highest for five years and it has now seen passenger numbers rise every month for almost two years. Tony McDonough reports.

More than 4.8m passengers passed through Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) in 2016 – the highest figure for five years.

This was an 11% rise on 2015 and it the airport has now seen passenger numbers rise every month for almost two years.

The annual figure was boosted by a busier than expected December. The Christmas and New Year holiday period saw the month’s passenger numbers exceed expectations and up by 11% compared to December 2015.

It was LJLA’s busiest December since 2009 with more than 340,000 passengers choosing to use the airport.

Complementing the growth in traffic has been the ongoing investment to improve passenger facilities and further raise customer service levels.

LJLA has also continued to be one of the best airports in the UK for ‘on-time performance’ with more scheduled flights departing on time than the majority of other UK airports.

Andrew Cornish, chief executive of Liverpool John Lennon Airport, said: “2016 was a great year for the airport and our busiest in recent years.

“We really appreciate the support of the region’s travellers, who are taking advantage of the increased choice of destinations and operators from their local airport.

“This is also excellent news for the region too. A successful LJLA creates more job opportunities both onsite and indirectly across the region, as well as helping to attract more inward investment and boosting the region’s visitor economy.”