The growth has not been quite as spectacular as that. 200% in a year would be some going.
The figures you quote are the percentage growth figures for the five years ending 31 December 2007.
EXT has gone from 336,000 passengers per annum in 2002 to 1,012,000 in 2007, a very impressive increase.
In the same period BRS has gone from 3,415,000 in 2002 to 5,884,000 in 2007, a smaller precentage growth than EXT but somewhat larger in terms of bodies through the airport.
The other airport in the region, BOH, has had a similar increase to EXT in this period - up 176% from 392,000 to 1,083,000.
You are quite right though. These sort of headline sound bites will be seized upon by the opponents of expansion who will put about such nonsensical assertions that Exeter will be another Heathrow in no time at all.
Last edited by MerchantVenturer; 27th Mar 2008 at 23:19.
Reason: typo