Large increase in year-on-year passenger numbers.

Latest figures from Birmingham Airport show a 13.5% increase in the number of long haul passengers using the national UK airport in September, compared to the same month last year.

With a catchment of 35 million people and home to global brands such as Jaguar Land Rover, MG, JCB, Kraft and Cadbury, the airport handled 975,445 passengers overall during the month, of which nearly 78,000 flew on one of the growing number of long haul services available from Birmingham.

Speaking from the World Routes conference in Las Vegas, the Airport’s Chief Executive, Paul Kehoe, said: “As we near the completion of our runway extension scheme in early 2014, which will give aircraft unlimited take-off range, we’re seeing more people realise the benefits of travelling from Birmingham, particularly on long haul services.”

Birmingham Airport currently serves the greatest number of passengers within two hours travel by road and rail and, with the HS2 national infrastructure project, will serve the greatest number of passengers within a one hour journey of the airport.

Paul added: “Our catchment supports half a million businesses, has the UK’s largest share of the manufacturing activity and is at the centre of the automotive industry so these businesses are crying out for more direct flights from their region to high value markets, particularly in the USA and China.

“These latest figures demonstrate the desire to fly from Birmingham rather than alternative congested airports, and benefit from our award winning facilities and easy access to and from the UK’s best connected airport.”

The current runway infrastructure has the capability of servicing 27 million more passengers. In the longer-term (from 2030), Birmingham Airport’s vision includes a multi-runway airport capable of handling at least 70 million passengers per annum.