Passengers using Exeter airport rose by almost 30,000 last year due to new domestic flights and continued investment in airport facilities.
The total number of passengers using the airport in 2014 grew to 763,000, building on the previous year’s growth which saw numbers rise for the first time in six years.
The airport has been owned since June 2013 by Regional & City Airports, the airport management division of Rigby Group which also owns Norwich and Coventry airports.
The Devon airport’s managing director, Matt Roach, said: “This is the second year of solid growth and has been largely driven by additional domestic services including the launch of Flybe’s London City flights, the four times daily service to Manchester, and the return of the popular Newcastle service.
“At the same time we have invested more than £500,000 in airport facilities, including a fast-track security channel for London City passengers, a major upgrade to our corporate aviation Jet Centre, and we are building a new executive lounge that we expect to open in February.
“The current financial year will be the first full year as part of Rigby Group, and with revenues and operating profit both up since the acquisition we look forward to further growth as the gateway airport to the southwest.”
The return of popular routes to Alicante, Faro, Malaga and Palma had been welcomed by passengers, as well as a new service to Deauville in France, which starts in June, he added.
The growing list of codeshare agreements between Flybe and other carriers means more flexibility for long-haul travellers with seamless onward travel available from Exeter to destinations via Manchester and Dublin.
Improvements to the airport’s approach road by Devon County Council, including road widening, were progressing well and are expected to be completed in March, according to Roach.