THE NUMBER of passengers passing through Liverpool Airport has hit the 1m mark for the first time.
The airport now expects to end the year with 1.2m passengers, up from 875,000 in the full 12 months of last year.
Commercial manager Robin Tudor said the record growth was due to the increase in flights by EasyJet.
The no-frills carrier launched services from the airport to Luton, Belfast and Nice this year and is adding a thrice-daily service to Amsterdam from today.
“Charter flights have also been buoyant this year with First Choice, Thomson, Direct Holidays and, for the first time in several years, Airtours using Liverpool Airport for a range of departures,” he added.
Some £38m is being invested in a new terminal, due for completion in 2002, with capacity for 2.1m passengers a year rising to 3m a year by 2008.