Record numbers of passengers flew with low cost airlines Go and EasyJet to and from Northern Ireland during the Christmas holidays, according to the latest monthly traffic statistics.

Both Go and EasyJet announced increased passenger traffic on its routes between Belfast International Airport, Britain and Amsterdam. Go currently operates daily services between Belfast and London, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow while EasyJet also flies from Northern Ireland to Luton, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Amsterdam.

According to EasyJet, passenger numbers were up by approximately 20 per cent on its Belfast to Luton and Liverpool routes during December while passenger loads on the Amsterdam, Edinburgh and Glasgow routes have increased to more than 70 per cent.

Go said its Northern Ireland operation had helped boost its overall passenger traffic by 57 per cent to 340,384 passengers during the month of December.

Low-cost airlines now provide the lion's share of services from Belfast International Airport, once the main hub for British Airways and BMI British Midland in Northern Ireland.

BMI moved most of its services to Belfast City Airport during the year while British Airways closed its hub and axed its main Belfast to Heathrow service as part of a cost saving exercise.

Belfast City Airport said latest figures show the airport's passenger totals increased by more than 40 per cent during the month of December.