Growing by an immense 138% in annual passenger numbers, Cornwall Airport Newquay (NQY) welcomed just over 250,000 passengers by the end of 2022. Seeing close to 150,000 more passengers than the year before, the Cornish gateway has witnessed an expanded airline portfolio and a wave of new destinations on the airport’s ever-growing route network.
With predicted passenger traffic forecast to reach 450,000 this year, NQY expects to see it’s highest-ever number of weekly passengers travel through its terminal this summer, with a robust 40% growth on pre-pandemic figures. Crediting the surge to the addition of seven new services announced so far for 2023, the airport will increase its choice for its customers and welcome new links to Belfast City, Copenhagen, Dublin, East Midlands, Edinburgh, London Stansted, and Malaga.
Amy Smith, Head of Commercial, Cornwall Airport Newquay says: “2022 was a fantastic year for us, seeing the airport return to a busy schedule of 115 weekly flights at the peak of the summer season, but this year is when we expect to see close to our record year in 2019 with a predicted 78% increase in passenger traffic.” Smith adds: “Having concentrated on ensuring our customers have not only a choice of different destinations but also a variety of airlines on certain routes, we’re pleased to be able to offer a selection of services as we see multiple airlines recognise the demand from our catchment.”
A significant development for the airport this year was when Aer Lingus Regional, exclusively operated by Emerald Airlines, increased the frequency of its Dublin service to daily yesterday. Allowing for an extensive selection of onward connections via the carrier’s transatlantic network from the Irish capital city airport, Cornish passengers will have one-stop links to destinations in North America, including globally important places such as New York, Boston, Chicago, and Toronto. Utilising the US Immigration pre-clearance in Dublin, passengers will be guaranteed a hassle-free arrival stateside. In addition, Aer Lingus Regional will connect Newquay with Belfast City, four times weekly, from 3 April.
As the airport carrier roll-call continues to increase, established airlines are perpetual in their support of the recovery of Cornish tourism. Noteworthy growth will be seen by Ryanair this year as the Irish ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) will add four new links – Dublin, Edinburgh, London Stansted, and Malaga – marking almost a 60% expansion in services and seeing the ULCC operate over 25 weekly flights during S23. In addition, Eastern Airways has launched a daily connection to East Midlands while also expanding its flying programme from NQY to London Gatwick and Humberside following rising demand.
Later in the summer season, the airport will welcome the return of SAS’ service to Copenhagen. Expanding NQY’s international route map, the Scandinavian connection will join Alicante, Dublin, Düsseldorf, Faro, Malaga, and Zurich.
