A RECORD number of people are now using Leeds-Bradford International Airport at Yeadon.

Efforts to upgrade the airport and the increase in flights are paying off, according to managing director Ed Anderson.

Mr Anderson, who announced the record 1.25 million figures said: "More services, more convenience, less hassle and faster connections with international hub airports offering a world-wide range of flights are convicing increasing numbers of people, literally by the week, that Leeds-Bradford can serve them better."

The figures in the year's record total represented an increase of 18 per cent on 1996 and early indications are that an even higher throughput will be achieved this year. More than 700,000 business passengers now use the airport every year.

Competition between Aer Lingus and Ryanair on the busy Dublin route saw overall annual passenger traffic grow from 123,628 in 1996 to 175,818 last year - an increase of 42.2 per cent.

December's total of 80,866 passengers was up 26 per cent on the same month of the previous year.

Domestic passengers totalled 31,937 (up 11 per cent) with services to Southampton (up 55 per cent) and Aberdeen (up 30 per cent) doing particularly well.

International scheduled service passengers totalled 27,093 (up 29 per cent) and International Holiday charter flight passengers reached 21,836 during the month, an increase of 48 per cent.

All the airport's international schedule routes showed very healthy passenger increases. KLM/Air UK's Amsterdam service, now jet-equipped, attracted 70 per cent more passengers. Sabena's Brussels service, now using mainly jets, was up 35 per cent and British Midland had 24 per cent more passengers on its Paris service.

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