Southend is claiming the largest growth of any European airport with a 57.1% rise in passenger numbers from 2012 to 2013.
Figures show that the Essex airport handled 617,556 passengers in 2012 and 969,950 last year, giving it the largest percentage increase. In second place was Diyarbakir in Turkey with a 38.7% rise.
The next best performing London airport in a survey of more than 300 European airports was London City in 46th place with a 12% increase.
The study was compiled by industry website Airline Network News & Analysis and comes in the week that a £10 million extension to the Southend airport terminal was completed and became operational.
Five additional aircraft stands have also been completed to help increase the airport’s capacity.
The entire project will enable 300 new jobs arising from the increase in Southend-based aircraft over time, resulting in additional operational and service roles.
The airport’s operations director David Lister said: “We are working closely with all our current partners – as well as speaking to potential new ones – in order to offer an even wider variety of destinations for business and leisure travellers, all year round.”
EasyJet UK commercial manager Hugh Aitken added: “Since we launched flights at the airport in 2012, we have almost doubled the number of easyJet destinations available, providing easy and affordable services to just under one million passengers to and from the airport.”
“The ease and convenience of the customer experience is at the heart of the airport’s design and easyJet’s aims for all whether flying for work or leisure. It’s terrific news and we look forward to continuing the partnership in the coming year.”