Nose dive: Aer Lingus passenger numbers drop for April

The airline blames the timing of the bank holiday weekend for a 2.5 per cent drop in passengers.

AER LINGUS PASSENGER numbers decreased for April compared to the previous year, the airline announced.

The company said the 2.5 per cent drop in those flying was due to the timing of the Easter Bank Holiday weekend which fell over the last week of March in 2013 but in the first week of April in 2012.

Overall, 868,000 people flew with the airline last month which was an increase on the 844,000 that travelled with the company in March.

Year on year, the company has seen its short haul passenger numbers fall by 3.3 per cent to 784,000 but long haul flights have increased by 6.3 per cent to 84,000 on April 2012.

Annual figures show there has been a slight increase of 0.5 per cent on passengers from the previous year with 2,973,000 people flying with the company since January.

Read: On the up: Aer Lingus passenger figures increase in March >

Read: Aer Lingus passenger numbers fall in February, blames leap year >

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