MULTIPLE bank holidays and the half-term school break helped drive London Stansted’s passenger numbers to more than 2.55 million in May, an increase of 19% on the same month last year.

The airport recorded its busiest day of the year so far with 92,920 passengers passing through the terminal on Tuesday, May 29.

It also had its busiest day of 2023 on the airfield on Monday, May 26, when 602 flights arrived and departed.

Stansted’s position as the number one airport in the UK for direct flights to Europe was again reflected in the top three most popular countries during the month, which were Spain, Italy and Poland, while the busiest routes were Dublin, Istanbul and Palma De Mallorca.

The total number of passengers served at the airport in the 12-months ending May 2023 now stands at 26.2 million, an increase of 84% on the previous year’s total.

Operational performance during May remained strong, with 96% of passengers on average passing safely through security in 15 minutes or less.

Other notable highlights included Emirates adding a second daily flight to Dubai, and Stansted Express reintroducing four trains per hour between London and the airport during the morning and evening peaks.

The airport also celebrated the completion of its five-month runway resurfacing project two weeks earlier than planned.

Jon Fowler, London Stansted’s Chief Operating Officer, said:

“This May was a really busy and positive month for London Stansted with the three bank holidays and half-term school break boosting passenger numbers.

“We welcomed many people flying into the UK from around Europe for the King’s coronation, while many Brits took advantage of the additional day off to head away on holiday or visit family and friends.

“Throughout the month, thanks to the hard work and focus of our teams, operational performance remained strong, with over 96% of passengers passing safely and smoothly through security in under 15 minutes.

“We know our passengers want a reliable and efficient experience when passing through the airport, and as we look ahead to even busier days across the peak of summer, we will continue our work with our business partners across the campus to ensure that’s what we all deliver.”