UP TO 850 workers at Southampton Airport are today celebrating a record-breaking 2003.
The city's airport is the fastest growing in the UK - surpassing the significant milestone of one million passengers in a year.
A new network of scheduled services with budget carrier Flybe saw passenger numbers more than double to 1.22 million.
In August more than 140,000 people used the airport - the equivalent to 4,500 passengers every day.
The staggering growth rate in passenger numbers - 54 per cent - is largely attributable to Flybe using the airport as a regional hub and starting new European scheduled destinations.
Southampton Airport now offers a network of 31 destinations to eight different European countries, with eight airline partners and connections to more than 400 worldwide destinations.
International passengers now represent nearly 50 per cent of Southampton Airport's total passenger numbers.
Airport managing director David Cumming said: "We have welcomed over 1.2 million passengers through Southampton Airport for the first time ever in the airport's 93-year history. This record-breaking year has also meant new jobs for local people with over 850 people employed at Southampton Airport. "
Seven UK airports run by BAA, including Southampton, also reported record passenger numbers last year.
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