Liverpool John Lennon Airport witnessed its busiest month in its 78-year history last month (August) as more than 580,000 passengers passed through the airport.

The previous busiest month was August 2007 when the airport handled just over 575,000 passengers.

The increase in passenger numbers was helped by an increase in services by easyJet and Ryanair – operating to more summer sun destinations than ever before with a number of new holiday resorts featured for the first time – plus a growing numbers of passengers taking advantage of KLM flights from Liverpool to Amsterdam Schiphol with hundreds of onward connections.

Some 81,000 passengers travelled through JLA on 568 flights over the Bank Holiday weekend alone, surpassing the airport’s own passenger predictions. During a two hour peak early on Bank Holiday Monday, more than 2,200 passengers passed smoothly through the new airport security area and into the expanded departure lounge.

Craig Richmond, CEO of Peel Airports commented: “Even we have been surprised by the levels of growth seen in passenger numbers choosing to fly off during the summer months from Liverpool. Two weeks in the sun clearly remains very important for families in particular throughout the North West, despite the recession.

This is a great achievement and I know that staff here will be proud of this latest milestone for the Airport. It is because of their hard work that despite more passengers having passed through our doors, standards of service have continued to improve too”.