Aer Lingus numbers fall by 8.4%

TOUGHER operating conditions saw Aer Lingus passenger numbers decline again last month, falling by 8.4% to 716,000.

The airline, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, said its load factor, which is a measure of seats filled was down 3.7 points to 72.2%.

Aer Lingus said, however, the year-on-year comparison of booked passenger numbers is impacted by the timing of the Easter holiday period, which started in the last week of March in 2010. Easter 2011 begins in late April.