Traffic grows at Aer Lingus

Passenger numbers at Aer Lingus rose in the key summer months, with yields also ahead of 2010, the airline said.

The airline, in which the Government has a 25 per cent stake, said passenger volumes rose by 1.4 per cent in July and August, and yields increased by 4.6 per cent.

In September, yields and volumes are also ahead of 2010 figures, the airline said, and in the year to date, passenger numbers had stabilised.

Ancillary revenue per passenger, which includes bag charges, was 5.1 per cent higher than last year. In the year to date, figures were in line with 2010.

Last month, Aer Lingus said its booking profile into the fourth quarter of the year was strong, and it expected sales growth in the second half of a similar level in the first six months of the year, when revenues rose by 5.8 per cent to €569 million.

The airline has been hit by industrial disputes earlier this year, which caused a number of flight cancellations and disruption for passengers.