Belfast International Airport Staff are celebrating the news that passenger numbers have hit a new record high, just as 2017 draws to a close.
The Scottish airport has already broken existing records by exceeding 5,243,038, the number previously achieved back in 2007, and that figure is still expected to increase with 4 weeks left of the year.
As a mark of achievement, and also a chance to thank the passengers using the airport, Belfast International gave away 2 free flight tickets to their 5,243,039th passenger Glenda Garrett as she checked in for her recent flight!
She was en route to the US with her daughter, Lauren when she was pronounced the winner of the gift; what a wonderful way to start the trip!
Belfast International Airport Managing Director Graham Keddie, who presented the tickets, said it had been a "record-breaking" year for Belfast.
"Anyone travelling through the airport will notice how busy it is and we are looking forward to 2018 being even better," he said.
"The traditional Christmas and New Year rush is expected to see the airport end 2017 by achieving a total in excess of 5.7 million passengers." In the meantime, Jet2.com, airline and package holiday specialists, have announced that the are adding a Boeing 737-800 to their fleet at Belfast International, in an attempt to support the 41% increase in capacity. The company is also creating 30 new job positions, which has created the opportunity for new routes to be opened, much like the new flights to Dalaman in Turkey.
Next summer’s flight programme is anticipated to be the biggest date for Jet2 with more than 400,000 seats on sale for Northern Irish holidaymakers. As well as Dalaman, new destinations include; Antalyato, Almeria, Crete, Madeira, Malta, Naples, Paphos and Rhodes.
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