Flybe passenger numbers up 7.7 per cent

Flybe flew flew two million passengers in the three months to June, a 7.7 per cent increase on the same period in 2010.

The carrier, which flies from Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Doncaster, Edinburgh and East Midlands, said average ticket income was up 3 per cent to £62.27, with total revenues for the quarter up 8 per cent at £160m.

The group, which warned in May that trading had been hit by high oil prices, the weak economy and severe weather conditions, was upbeat about its prospects.

The airline's load factor – a measure of how full each flight is – rose slightly to 63.1 per cent during the quarter.