One would have thought that a year after the first low-cost airlines started flying to Malta, the November 2007 figures would not show the 15 and more per cent upwards swing they had shown throughout the year.

Instead, however, the figures for incoming and departing passengers at MIA kept increasing: departing passengers up 16.8 per cent and incoming passengers up by 15.2 per cent.

The total number of passengers was 191,000 – by far the highest figures ever recorded for November.

With 21,000 passenger movements, Gatwick was the first airport used by the passengers, closely followed at around 15,000 each by Manchester and Heathrow. Luton Airport, served by Ryanair, crept up to sixth position from seventh in November last year, its first month in operation. This November, Luton registered 9,372 passenger movements.

The UK, with 76,000 passenger movements, was the prime source for arriving and departing passengers while Germany, previously third, overtook Italy in second place, thanks to the increased flights to Germany.

Ireland, where Ryanair also flies, came eighth with 3,800 passenger movements, a 277 per cent increase over last year.