Gatwick Airport.

London Gatwick Airport handled a record total of 2.9m passengers in November, taking its running annual total to 45.5m in the first 11 months of the current calendar year.

Airport management pointed to strong +12.1% long-haul route growth in the month which provided the growth platform for a 25.6% rise in cargo during the period. At the same time, Gatwick’s Asia connections proved ‘particularly popular in November’, with passengers to Hong Kong +75% and Tianjin +46.1%.

STRONG OVERALL PERFORMANCE

Gatwick’s regional connectivity also continued ‘to perform strongly’, with passengers to the Isle of Man, Glasgow and Guernsey +12.9%, +11% and +6.8% respectively. By healthy contrast, St Lucia +85.8%, Mauritius +55% and Liberia, Costa Rica +47% were the winter sun destinations showing the fastest passenger growth.

The airport said the month was also notable also notable as the first anniversary of the Gatwick Foundation Fund which annually distributes £300,000 to deserving projects across Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

Gatwick Airport.

To date, 80 organisations and more than 46,000 people are said to have benefited from the grants and reported improvements in the services they provide, which cover four main areas: Employment, training and skills; Families; Widening horizons and Elderly people.

Commenting on the results, Gatwick Airport CEO Stewart Wingate said: “Passenger demand for the global connectivity provided by Gatwick continues to rocket – long-haul routes +12.1% in November, while business passengers are at record levels.

IMPORTANT NEW ROUTE ADDITIONS

“This year five new long-haul connections have started, Singapore, Seattle, Denver, Kigali and Taipei, further strengthening Gatwick’s global connectivity.” He added that connectivity is set to increase further in 2018 with new connections to Austin, Chicago and Buenos Aires ‘in just the first quarter alone’

He added: “While demand for the slots previously operated by Monarch outstripped availability six times over, [the] International Airlines Group were ultimately successful in acquiring them and we’re looking forward to the new destination choices they will enable for our passengers in 2018.

Passenger Results, Gatwick Airport, November 2017.

“Meanwhile, closer to home in November, we were delighted as an airport to celebrate the first anniversary of the Gatwick Foundation Fund which distributes funds to deserving charity projects in Gatwick’s locality.

“For both our local region and the whole country Gatwick is set to play an increased global role for as we grow. We’re ready and prepared to build our financeable and deliverable second runway scheme, so that Britain can reap the benefits of greater global connectivity faster.”