Growing passenger numbers at EMA bode well for a great Easter and summer season
February saw almost 700,000 more customers choosing East Midlands Airport for trips abroad than last year, signalling one of the best Easter and summer seasons ahead for the popular travel hub.
Latest figures show that more than 3.8m people have travelled through EMA this financial year – a 22% increase on last year. The growing number of people picking EMA for an effortless start to their low-cost holidays increasingly includes travellers from further afield including South Yorkshire, West Midlands, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire.
The new figures are released as the airport gears up for the Easter break from the end of this month, which will be immediately followed by the start of the summer season. The signs are good for this period to be the best since the pandemic, with bookings for the fortnight from Good Friday currently showing more than 188,000 passengers expected to fly through EMA.
Two of the main airlines serving EMA, Tui and Jet 2, are each adding an extra aircraft to those based at the airport, meaning the aircraft stands will be at capacity this summer. Tui has added a new route to Naples for this summer, while Eastern Airways will start flying to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, offering EMA customers the chance to make onward journeys around the world with Air France.
And from Easter, passengers will also benefit from some of the first improvements that have been carried out as part of a £120m investment programme at EMA. This includes upgraded toilets, a refreshed Castle Rock bar, new seating, better customer wi-fi throughout the terminal and new trolleys.
Passengers are reminded that although as part of this, work has started on improvements in the security hall, existing security arrangements remain in place. They should come to the airport as usual, prepared to remove electrical items from bags and restricting liquids to 100ml. The vast majority of customers still experience the hassle-free experience that EMA is known for, clearing security in under 15 minutes.
EMA’s Managing Director Steve Griffiths said: “This latest set of very positive passenger numbers are a springboard to what’s shaping up to be a fantastic Easter break and summer season.
“Growing numbers of people from an expanding catchment area are choosing EMA for a friendly and stress-free experience to reach their favourite leisure destinations in Europe and North Africa. Added to that, some great improvements will be completed at the airport before Easter to make it even more enjoyable.”