Late dash for the sun boosts Glasgow’s passenger numbers

will inat Edin- burgh to 30, are expected to generate 140,000 extra passengers and provide a £90 million boost to the economy.

The news came as Edinburgh’s passenger numbers dipped for a fourth consecutive month, which it blamed on uncertainty over Heathrow flights following the demise of BMI.

The total was down by 2.2 per cent to 880,124 in September – more than the 1.9 per cent drop the previous month.

Rival Glasgow saw another month of growth, with its total up by 5.6 per cent in September to 736,100. Aberdeen’s was up by 1.4 per cent to 302,900.

EasyJet’s choice of new routes follows consultation with business and tourism groups.

VisitScotland will spend an extra £100,000 on marketing for the Berlin and Hamburg links.

EasyJet is also planning a trade mission to Hamburg with the tourism agency and government agency Scottish Development International.

Germany is Scotland’s biggest European tourism market and InTERnATIonAl passenger numbers at Glasgow Airport soared almost 10 per cent last month, as Scots sought some late summer sunshine.

non-domestic traffic was up 9.7 per cent on the same month last year, with holidaymakers journeying to Malaga and Alicante, as well as more farflung destinations, such as Dubai and Toronto.

Almost 740,000 people travelled through Glasgow Airport in September, an overall increase of 5.6 per cent, operators BAA said.

Traffic through Aberdeen Airport increased by 1.4 per cent to 302,000 people. At Edinburgh, international traffic grew by 0.9 per cent but, overall, numbers dropped 2.2 per cent on September 2011.