Aer Lingus drives IAG passenger number growth of 4.1%

A strong performance at Aer Lingus helped drive growth at its parent last year, International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG), the latest figures show.

Passenger numbers at IAG's airlines, which also include British Airways and Spain's Iberia, grew 4.1 per cent to 104.8 million in 2017 from 100.7 million the previous year.

Figures published on Thursday show that Aer Lingus grew at the fastest rate of the group’s carriers.

The Irish airline’s revenue passenger kilometres – the distance travelled by the paying passengers it carried – grew 11.6 per cent last year to 21.4 billion from 19.2 billion in 2016.

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Iberia, the group's second-largest airline, clocked the next-fastest expansion at 7.6 per cent, while fellow Spanish carrier Vueling was up 3.8 per cent.

British Airways increased its business by 1.5 per cent. The airline slowed capacity growth during the year.

IAG bought Aer Lingus in 2015 and has backed the Irish airline’s expansion of its transatlantic business.

Aer Lingus recently announced plans to fly to Philadelphia and Seattle next year. Since 2015 it has launched services to destinations including Los Angeles, Miami, Newark New Jersey and Hartford Connecticut.