Gatwick's global connections drive it to record September
A substantial rise in passengers taking long-haul breaks played a part in Gatwick’s overall growth, with the airport’s long-haul destinations growing by 8.1% compared with last September.
Gatwick’s long-haul growth consequently boosted the amount of cargo handled by the airport too, with September seeing a 27.3% increase compared with the same month last year.
Destinations in Asia proved particularly popular with travellers this September with passengers travelling to Hong Kong +64.0%, utilising Gatwick’s daily connection to the city. Meanwhile, in September passengers to Tianjin, China were +28.4%.
Elsewhere, popular routes were dominated by the destinations of September’s international fashion weeks with passengers to New York +49.9%, Paris +30.7% and Milan +3.4%.
Visitors to Lima, from Gatwick, were +15% as passengers took advantage of the UK’s only direct connection to the city from Gatwick. Responding to this passenger demand for travel to South America, Gatwick will soon be providing passengers with further travel options to the region as Norwegian will start flying to Buenos Aires in February 2018.
Gatwick Airport CEO Stewart Wingate said: “Gatwick’s September figures demonstrate the year-round global connectivity that the airport provides with passengers choosing Gatwick for destinations right across the Globe – whether this be Asia, the USA and Canada, South America, Europe or Africa.
“In just September, Gatwick had new routes to Denver, Seattle and Singapore start. While in the next few months alone, new long-haul connections to Austin, Chicago, Taipei and Buenos Aires begin.
“Earlier this month, we were saddened to hear of the closure of Monarch Airlines – an airline with over three decades of history at Gatwick. We have been working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority to return everyone affected home.
“Forty-five point four million passengers travelled through Gatwick in the year to September – three million more passengers than a year ago. As Gatwick continues to grow beyond 45 million annual passengers, we are exploring further ways to make best use of our existing facilities so we can continue to forge new connections and increase Britain’s global connectivity when it is needed most.
“We remain ready and willing to build our financeable and deliverable second runway scheme instead of, or in addition to, Heathrow should the Government give us the green light.”
