London Gatwick has achieved its busiest-ever start to a financial year, as passenger numbers grew by 1.7 per cent in quarter one compared to 2018.

In total some 12.5 million passengers travelled through the airport in the first three months.

Long-haul growth was also strong in quarter one, up 2.2 per cent.

Responding to the passenger demand for flights to Doha, and beyond, Qatar Airways increased flight frequency from Gatwick, in June, with the carrier now flying three times daily up from 16 flights weekly.

This follows the airline celebrating its first anniversary of flying from Gatwick in May.

Stewart Wingate, chief executive, Gatwick Airport, said: “Gatwick is achieving robust growth in this spring and summer period where airport capacity is already well utilised and I’m proud even in these already busy months we have been able to achieve yet further growth.

“Right across all airline types, carriers are starting new routes and increasing flight frequencies.

“In the near future, we will publish the final version of Gatwick’s masterplan, outlining potential options for future growth enabling the airport to make more of the world’s most exciting destinations accessible to more people than ever before while boosting trade and tourism opportunities locally and nationally.”