THE Isle of Man Airport recorded a 9.5 per cent increase in passenger figures last month compared with May last year.
In May 2010 the effects of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokul volcano were still having an impact on air travel to and from the Isle of Man.
Last month the ash cloud from Iceland's Grimsvotn volcano affected flights in the UK but it had far less of an impact on travel than the Eyjafjallajokul volcano.
This May saw almost 59,000 passengers passing through Isle of Man Airport, nearly 5,100 more than in May 2010.
Airport director Ann Reynolds confirmed that disruption had been minimised this May principally because of the huge progress made in the way that the aviation industry now reacts to volcanic ash threats.
She said: "We have all come a long way since the chaotic period in 2010 which crippled the European airline network.
"The industry as a whole has worked together to understand far more clearly the movement of volcanic ash and the effects of various densities of ash upon aircraft and aero engines.
"Therefore, everyone has become far better equipped to make rational decisions about when to fly and when not fly, without compromising safety in any way.
"The outcome during this May's volcanic threat is that there was very little disruption to our air service network, and hence we have been able to achieve a 9.5 per cent increase in passengers."
One of the primary areas of growth has been charter flights where passenger numbers increased by a massive 72 per cent with more than 1,000 passengers passing through the airport.
This has been due to the huge increase in direct holiday flights from the Isle of Man during 2011, when there will be a total of at least 23 departures to a choice of nine holiday destinations.
Five flights - to Menorca, Madeira, Croatia, Sicily and Porto in Portugal - departed during May, creating a substantial boost to charter numbers.
Ann added: "We are very excited about our substantially expanded programme of direct holiday flights from The Isle Of Man Airport.
"Not only does this boost our passenger numbers, but, far more important, provides exactly what residents have been seeking for many years – hassle free flights, with no changes, direct to a wide choice of Mediterranean resorts."
The best performers in terms of scheduled routes were the expanded Flybe route to Southampton and Brussels, which notched up an increase of 84 per cent, Manx2.com's Belfast City service with an eight per cent increase and the Flybe and easyJet route to Liverpool, up by 33 per cent.
Passengers flying between the Isle of Man and Manchester were also up by 1,000.
So far this year airport passenger numbers are up by 5.4 per cent, significantly less than originally forecast, as the UK austerity measures have hit leisure traffic in particular, especially domestic leisure air travel.
Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne MHK is still optimistic about the revival of the business travel markets.
He said: "All the indications are that business air travel is beginning to recover more quickly than leisure travel.
"This provides some basis for optimism for the future, as many of the Island's air routes have their economic foundation based upon business travel.
"Thus the business market is often the powerhouse for the retention and growth of key routes and, as leisure travel revives – and it will in time – we expect the passenger volumes to return."
