Bumper sales figures for retail outlets at Belfast International Airport

Even before the start of the summer getaway, units operating at the airport are reporting growth in sales of up to 25% - boosted by the ‘airlift’ of thousands of Northern Ireland fans heading to France for the Euro 2016 championship.

All food and bar outlets operated by SSP and Fed & Watered are experiencing “quite remarkable results, week-on-week”, according to Brian Carlin, Belfast International Airport Director of Commercial Development.

Retail outlets including stationers, duty free and clothing, are also enjoying increased demand.

Mr Carlin said: “No sooner are records set one week, but they are overtaken the following week. Business is brisk and that’s due mainly to the hundreds of thousands of additional seats put in place by our airlines along with the arrival of Ryanair on the Gatwick route.

“We’re nowhere near our peak in summer passenger traffic and the numbers we are witnessing, which are impressive by any standard, will easily be overtaken in coming weeks.

“Sales records are tumbling as soon as they are set which augurs well for all of our outlets and the demand that will be created for additional staff.

“We’ve seen hundreds of new jobs created since the end of last year and hundreds more will be added to payrolls later in the year with the addition of new routes to places such as Berlin, Warsaw and Milan.”