Budget airline Ryanair has forecast its passenger numbers at Bristol Airport will reach 2.1m a year as it increases the frequency on some of its most popular winter routes.
The figures, representing around one in five of all passengers, has been flagged by the airline despite it reducing its number of winter destinations from 29 to 25.
Ryanair, which flew to 33 destinations in this year’s summer timetable, said it would continue with two new routes introduced earlier this year – Porto and Venice Marco Polo – while also increasing frequencies on another 10 routes to popular winter sun destinations, such as Alicante, Budapest, Lanzarote, Malaga and Sofia.
To handle the increased capacity, it will retain the fifth aircraft it added to its Bristol-based fleet earlier this summer as well as taking on an additional 30 staff, including pilots and cabin crew.
The airline said the move would take its total investment at the airport to $500m.
Ryanair head of communications Jade Kirwan said: “Ryanair is pleased to announce more growth, investment and jobs for the South West with the launch of our Winter 23/24 schedule for Bristol.
“With 25 routes for Winter, including our new Porto and Venice routes, our customers in the South West can avail of a wide range of winter destinations at Ryanair’s infamously low fares.”
Ryanair flies to Porto and Venice Marco Polo in competition with easyJet, the airport’s largest operator responsible for around half its 100-plus destinations.
Meanwhile, holiday group Jet2 this week said it would add the year-round sunshine destination of Agadir on Morocco’s west coast to its winter 2024 schedule.
Jet2, the UK’s largest tour operator, began operating from Bristol Airport in 2021, with three aircraft flying 33 destinations.
Its 2025/24 winter sun programme, announced earlier this year, will include up to 35 weekly flights to destinations such as the Canary Islands (Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura), Spain (Alicante and Malaga), Majorca (Palma), Portugal (Faro and Madeira), Turkey (Antalya), Cyprus (Paphos) and Malta.
The airport has attracted a number of new operators this year, including Aegean Airlines, Sun Express and Corendon Airlines, and is also benefiting from the introduction of new destinations from easyJet.
Meanwhile full-service German flag carrier Lufthansa is increasing frequency on its Frankfurt route, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has launched the airport’s first direct service to Zurich and Aer Lingus has reintroduced flights to Cork.
Earlier this month work has started on the largest capital project for more than two decades at the airport – a £60m public transport interchange hub and multi-storey car park.
The project forms part of the airport’s overall multi-million pound development plan to increase its capacity from 10m to 12m passengers a year.
