Passenger numbers at Bristol Airport have risen for the fourth consecutive year.

The number of people passing through the terminal in 2013 was up 3.4 per cent compared to the previous year, taking the annual total above six million for the first time since 2008, and only the second time in the Airport’s history.

A total of 6.1 million passengers used Bristol Airport over the course of the year, including the busiest month in the airport’s history in August when over 700,000 passengers passed through the terminal. 

December’s total was also up year-on-year, with 349,000 passengers representing an increase of 3.1 per cent over the same month in 2013.

New destinations introduced last year included Frankfurt, Hamburg, Milan and Frankfurt (all operated by bmi regional), Reykjavik and Marrakesh (with easyJet), Chania (Ryanair) and Bastia (Corsican Places). 

Long-haul connections also proved popular, with more passengers flying on routes between Bristol and hub airports including Amsterdam, Brussels and Dublin.

With new routes to Shannon (Aer Lingus Regional) and Stockholm (SAS) already confirmed and a long-term deal in place with the airport’s largest carrier, easyJet, 2014 could be the busiest ever, with passenger numbers surpassing the 6.2 million recorded in 2008.

Robert Sinclair, chief executive,  Bristol Airport, said: “We are gearing up for what we expect to be the busiest year in the Airport’s history.  Construction of new and improved facilities for passengers is already underway, and there are some great new destinations on offer. 

“Work is also set to begin on transport improvements which will make Bristol Airport more convenient for people across the South West and South Wales.

“The combination of improved facilities, more destinations and easier access will enable us to serve our region better, reducing leakage to the London airports in the process.”