Low cost airlines use Palma most

PALMA airport was the most used in Spain by low cost airlines during the first 10 months of this year, with a total of 3.5 million passengers, which was an increase of 14.3 percent in comparison with the same period last year and 20.8 percent of the total of low cost passengers, according to figures published yesterday by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce. The Ministry said that the low cost airlines accounted for 31.6 percent of the total of all international flights coming to Spain during the first 10 months of the year. Actually, in October a total of 1.6 million passengers travelled on low cost airlines, some 13.2 percent more that during the same month in 2005.
The amount of passengers carried on each flight exceeded the amount carried by traditional companies, 78.9 percent as opposed to 78 percent.
By airlines, the three main ones were Ryanair with 20.4 percent of the total and 3.09 million passengers, EasyJet with 20.3 percent and 3.08 million passengers, and Air Berlin with 19.3 percent. In fourth position was Channel Express with 1.01 million passengers (6.7 percent of the total), which is an increase of 31.8 percent.
Among the others, the growth of the company Vueling stands out. This airline grew by 127.7 percent and occupies sixth place in the ranking with 789'801 passengers (5.2 percent of all low cost arrivals). After Palma, the other Spanish airports most used by low cost airlines were Malaga with 2.1 million passengers, some 10.5 percent more (and 14 percent of all low cost arrivals); and Barcelona with 1.9 million passengers (and 12.9 percent of all low cost arrivals), 23.1 percent more; then came Alicante with 11.5 percent of low cost passengers and Girona Costa Brava with 9.2 percent. By autonomous regions, Cataluña and the Balearic Islands head the list with 24 and 23.4 percent of the total arrivals respectively, although the growth of 42.2 percent registered by Madrid, with 897'895 passengers, stands out. Third on the list is Andalucia with 2.5 million passengers (17.6 percent of the total), an increase of 10.1 percent. The Canaries come fifth will 867'289 passengers arriving by low cost airlines, which was 5.7 percent of the total and an increase of 14.5 percent. The main country from which the passengers came during the first 10 months of the years was the United Kingdom, which accounted for 41.4 percent of arrivals with 6.2 million visitors, registering an increase of 9.3 percent. Germany followed with 25 percent of all arrivals, with 3.8 million visitors, this being an increase of 5.3 percent. The Dutch were next with 1.1 million tourists, 7.3 percent of the total and a growth of 22 percent. Then came the Italian with 1.05 million tourists which was 7 percent of all arrivals and an increase of 33.7 percent.
The greatest increase came from Ireland, with 94.4 percent more tourists, making 238'777 visitors.