Belfast City Airport celebrates '˜exceptional' year of growth

Profits hit £3,331,000 from £2,386,000, while turnover increased by 5% to £20,799,000 up from £19,801,000 the year before.

Passenger numbers were also up 5.1% with the airport carrying 2.69 million in 2015 compared to 2.56 million across the previous 12 months.

There was one exceptional expense which was due to professional fees of £412,000 relating to the Public Inquiry into the airport’s seats for sale restriction, the outworkings of which are still ongoing.

“The business performed exceptionally well in 2015 with an increase in non-aviation revenues and a tight control on costs resulting in a significant increase in operating profit,” said chief executive Brian Ambrose.

“The commencement of the KLM daily service to Amsterdam and Flybe’s new services to London City and Liverpool witnessed passenger numbers steadily increase across our route network.

“Once again we expect 2016 to be a strong year with passenger numbers expected to rise with the arrival of Brussels Airlines, the uplift in the Aer Lingus summer routes to Palma, Alicante, Faro and Malaga plus our nine times daily service to Heathrow with British Airways and Aer Lingus.

“We will continue to invest in our infrastructure in 2016 aimed at improving still further the customer experience with significant capital investment planned in the facility.”