Ryanair carried 300,000 more passengers in May than in the same month a year ago, the budget airline’s traffic statistics showed this week.

This was a four per cent year-on-year increase from 7.9 million in May 2013 to 8.2 million this year, while the Irish company’s annual traffic rose three per cent to reach a record 82.3 million customers.

Load factor also went up three percentage points to 85 per cent in May.

Ryanair bosses credited efforts to improve its service for the increase.

“Traffic grew by 300,000 to 8.2 million customers in May,” said chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs, “thanks to the continuing success of our lower fares and our improving customer experience, including our great new website, allocated seating, a free second small carry-on bag and PED (portable electric device) use on all flights.”

Heathrow ’s Terminal 2 stages a good comeback

Passengers have praised London Heathrow’s new Terminal 2 after the decision to open the £2.5 billion facility in stages appeared to be paying off.

Travellers pouring off the first flight to touch down at T2 – a United Airlines Boeing 767 service from Chicago – said they were impressed with the new building, which has a light, airy feel.

And those departing, heading for a selection of US destin-ations, also gave the thumbs-up to the new facility where management deliberately decided to have a “soft” opening this week to avoid any repeat of the disastrous opening day of Heathrow’s Terminal 5 in March 2008.

Managers opted for a phased opening of T2, with just 34 flights operating compared with the eventual 330 a day when all T2’s 26 airlines eventually move in by October.

One of the first workers at the new terminal today was flower-stall operator Mariana Irigui, 40, from Ealing, west London.

She said: “The new terminal is beautiful. It’s bright and airy.” (PA)

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