Budget airline easyJet has revealed it has flown 20million passengers out of Glasgow Airport over the last 16 years.

It has also flown 10million people into the city air hub in that time.

The airline's first flight from the city was to Luton Airport in 1996 and the company now has 15 routes out of Glasgow.

Over the past 12 months

it says it has flown 1.7m passengers in and out of Glasgow Airport.

Hugh Aitken, easyJet's commercial manager for Scotland, said: "Reaching 20m passengers out of Glasgow caps an incredible year for easyJet in Scotland.

"Glasgow is a key hub in the European expansion strategy for easyJet, and reaching this passenger milestone reflects our commitment to providing passengers with a greater choice of destinations across both the leisure and business-travel markets.

"Our routes also bring vital investment into the region, and we will continue to work with the Team Glasgow partnership to support the tourism industry across Glasgow and the rest of Scotland."

Budget airline Ryanair has announced it will axe five routes from Scotland's busiest airport.

The cuts at Edinburgh Airport are expected to lead to 300 people losing their job and passenger traffic dropping by 15%, from 1.8 million to 1.5 million.

Ryanair said today it would reduce its operating aircraft at the hub from seven to six.

It means the end of flights to and from Berlin in Germany, Malmo in Sweden, Murcia and Ibiza in Spain, and Estonia. Closure of the routes will begin in April and will be in full effect for the airline's summer schedule.

The number of flights Ryanair operates from the airport each week will drop by a fifth (21%), from 140 to 110.

The company blamed a "breakdown of negotiations" about costs with airport operator BAA.

Ryanair warned that further cuts could be on the horizon if BAA Edinburgh does not extend its five-year competitive cost agreement, due to expire in October.

Michael O'Leary, Ryanair chief executive, said: "Ryanair regrets BAA Edinburgh Airport's rejection of our proposals for a competitive cost base which would allow Ryanair to further grow our traffic and routes for summer 2012.

"Sadly, BAA Edinburgh seems to prefer higher costs, even if it means fewer passengers and jobs at Edinburgh."

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