GILL Airways has announced record passenger numbers last month.

The Newcastle airline carried 35,678 passengers on scheduled flights in July, up from 33,601 in June, and a 30 per cent rise on the 27,370 passengers carried at the same time last year.

The July figures include a record 11,055 passengers on the airline's flagship Air France by Gill Airways service from Newcastle to Paris, despite operating two fewer daily routes than 12 months ago, and halving its fleet from 18 to nine aircraft.

The figures come just four months after Gill's management buyout relaunched the airline from the hands of the receivers.

The steady growth in Gill traffic is reflected in moves to take on more staff, including five more at the airline's call centre at Newcastle Airport.

Ticket sales via its website are also increasing steadily and are on target to top £1m in the first 12 months of trading.

Gill chief executive Malcolm Naylor attributed the airline's success to a simple formula: "Getting our passengers to their destination on time, with a smile and the minimum of fuss."

He added: "A year ago we were still losing money, flying routes with little prospect of making a profit. Now we have halved our fleet, yet increased our passenger numbers and put our finances firmly back in the black."

l Meanwhile, Irish budget airline Ryanair said its focus on cheap fares was paying off as its passenger numbers soared 42 per cent in the first quarter of the year.

The group, which grabbed the headlines by offering tickets for as little as £5, carried 2.4 million people across Europe in the three months to June 30.

Chief executive Michael O'Leary said Ryanair, which operates a Teesside to Dublin service, had seen its passenger numbers boosted by the launch of 13 new routes. Average fares continued to come down but annual growth should be close to its 25 per cent target.