2.1 million passengers passed through Girona Costa Brava Airport in 2014, 21% less than in 2013

Vilobí d’Onyar (ACN).- Girona Costa Brava Airport ended 2014 with a new low of 2,160,656 travelling passengers, 21.1% less than the figure from 2013, according to the Spanish airport management organization Aena. The decline is significant as data shows the fall in passenger numbers between 2013 and 2012 was just 3.8%. Although the 2014 statistic is the lowest since Ryanair began to operate at the airport in 2004, figures have been consistently dropping every year from 2008, after a record breaking 5,510,970 passengers. The decline coincides with Ryanair’s arrival at Barcelona El Prat and the increase of its operation from Catalonia’s main airport. However, the 2014 data report from Aena showed that 90,364 tonnes of air freight were transported from Girona airport, an increase of 97.3% over the previous year.

In 2004, Girona Airport reached a figure of 2,962,988 visitors, 800,000 more than a decade later. In December 2014, 49,959 passengers passed through the Catalan airport, 24.7% less than in December 2013. Ryanair have reduced their number of flights from Girona Airport after beginning to operate from Barcelona El Prat. The added pressure of the economic crisis has hindered Girona’s circulation of passengers.

This winter, Ryanair is only offering 16 routes to and from Girona airport, a 20% drop over the previous season. Since establishing itself in Girona in 2004, the company now has connections in big cities, such as Stansted and Luton airports in London and Paris Beauvais in the French capital. Ryanair’s efforts to diversify the company and cut down on flights to and from Girona can be seen in these statistics.