PASSENGER numbers at Bournemouth Airport have taken off in the past year and now, thanks to their new arrival they are set to soar even higher.

Now that low-cost airline, Ryanair has made the airport its 24th European base by stationing a new £35million Boeing 737-800 aircraft there, airport chiefs are looking forward to smashing last year's record for passenger numbers.

A total of one million holidaymakers and visitors passed through the airport last year and they are hoping to increase this figure by nearly a third in 2008.

And judging by figures released by Ryanair, which shows a 19 per cent increase in the number of passengers compared to the same time last year they are on track.

Peter Duffy, managing director of Bournemouth Airport, said: "Thanks to Ryanair we can all have huge confidence in the future of Bournemouth Airport.

"By basing an aircraft with us, not only are they increasing revenue for the region by bringing more people through the airport, but they will also be creating more jobs for local people."

He added: "There are not many regions in the UK that can offer the same standard of inbound tourism that we can. As well as being a tourist airport we are really looking forward to expanding the business side of our service - especially once we introduce the Edinburgh route in September.

"The good news is that we are growing as we anticipated - especially with all the expansion work we are doing. We believe and hope this will be concurrent with passenger growth."

Caroline Baldwin, head of sales and marketing at Ryanair, said: "Ryanair's new base will deliver significant economic benefits throughout the region, capitalising on its huge tourism potential by making it cheaper and easier than ever before to get here.

"Depending on the uplift in passenger numbers we hope to base up to five planes at the airport over the next three to five years."