GLASGOW airport is one of the fastest growing in Europe - and that's official.

According to an international traffic report for 2015 by European airport trade body ACI Europe, the airport was the fifth fastest growing in its group - those with between five and 10 million passengers - behind Milan, Gothenburg, Berlin and Porto.

The airport reported its largest annual increase in passenger numbers last year after more than 8.7 million passengers travelled through its doors, representing an annual increase of 13% - more than one million additional passengers.

The airport, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, saw its passenger numbers return to pre-recession levels.

Airport managing director Amanda McMillan said: “To have been confirmed as one of the top performing airports in Europe is a fantastic achievement.

"We worked extremely hard throughout 2015 to strengthen our route network and this was reflected in our passenger growth.

"We recorded double digit percentage growth during each month of 2015, bar one, and we are looking forward to building on this success during what is our golden anniversary year.”

Olivier Jankovec, director general ACI EUROPE, said: “2015 has been a very good year in terms of passenger traffic, with European airports welcoming an estimated 1.95 billion passengers. 20% of them achieved a double-digit increase, including Glasgow, and many broke new traffic records – mostly fuelled by the continued growth of low cost airlines and selected non-EU airlines.

“EU airports generally performed extremely well, despite Germany and France being impacted by airline & ATC strikes and the Paris terror attacks."

The ACI Europe airport traffic report includes 223 airports, representing more than 88% of European air passenger traffic.