http://www.belfastcityairport.com/BC...e9c4ab76e9.pdf
A quick google search gives the link above, the 2.6 million was a few years ago. After successful marketing and promotion of the airport the latest figure appears to be 2.1 million with a downward trend. You have to remember though that the Minister for Propaganda is always right! Utterly delusional, any growth recently has all been at Aldergrove that I can see anyway.
I see movements are down as well by over 25%, is this also being sold as a success story? The other point worthy of note in that report is the amount of flights using the flight path over Belfast Lough, its still a bias but only just! I'm sure the local concerned residents are really happy with that particular item, I can recall that being 65% and greater in years gone past and that was with more movements. Perhaps the good folk in ATC have lost interest and prefer the easier life now.