GLASGOW Airport is hoping for a bumper year as thousands of athletes prepare to jet in to compete in the ­Commonwealth Games - and it is already enjoying a rise in passengers.

New figures reveal that 2014 got off to a flying start when more than 436,000 passengers used the airport last month - nearly 25,000 more than ­January last year.

The 6% rise raises hopes that the airport could be set to ­record its busiest year since 2008, especially as more passengers are being recorded across the spectrum of flights from short haul trips to England to transatlantic journeys.

Domestic traffic last month grew by 4% compared to a year ago - the Glasgow to London route was particularly strong - after more than 255,000 people jetted in and out of the airport on internal flights, nearly 10,000 more than a year ago.

Flights to destinations across Europe rose by 9% as a result of the success of Jet2.com, KLM and Emirates as well as the launch of services by airline chiefs at Lufthansa Regional and Wizz Air.

European traffic as well as long-haul flights to destinations such as Dubai also showed a marked increase.

As a result more than 180,000 international passengers passed through Glasgow in ­January - almost 15,000 more than 12 months earlier.

January was also marked by announcements ­including the launch of direct flights between Glasgow and Cardiff by French-owned ­CityJet and a decision by Hungarian airline Wizz Air to lay on an extra return flight from Warsaw following the Poland vs Scotland football friendly next month.

Airport managing director Amanda McMillan said: "January is traditionally a quiet month so it is very encouraging to have made such a positive start to 2014.

"Our growth was largely ­driven by demand for inter- national travel, particularly long-haul traffic which was up 10%, but it was pleasing to see ­domestic routes perform so well.

"Our preparations for the Commonwealth Games are now at an advanced stage and people will start to notice real changes within the terminal building in the coming weeks and months."

gordon.thomson@ eveningtimes.co.uk