Aer Lingus passenger numbers rise

Passenger numbers at Aer Lingus rose in September, continuing recent positive trends seen at the airline.

Aer Lingus said its total booked passengers were 954,000 for the month, a rise of 2.9 per cent year on year. Short haul passengers were 2.5 per cent higher, while long haul passengers rose by 7 per cent to 92,000.

Load factor also increased, with the overall figure rising by 2.9 points to 83.9 per cent, as the airline increased capacity on both long and short haul flights during the period.

The airline's venture with Aer Arann, Aer Lingus Regional, saw its passenger numbers rise by almost 45 per cent to 71,000 compared to a year earlier.