One Third Of Spain´s Visitors Flew Low-Cost in August

The number of international passengers arriving in Spain aboard low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair during August jumped 13.2 percent from last year, government figures showed on Friday.

Spain´s crowded no-frills airline market accounted for nearly a third of flights into the country during the peak travel month.

The figures showed 1.8 million visitors traveled to Spain in August in flights operated by low-cost airlines, over 30 percent of all international passengers.

Britain´s easyJet flew the most passengers, followed by Ireland´s Ryanair and Germany´s Air Berlin. Unlisted Spanish airline Vueling, a low-cost start-up that began flying in July 2004, was ranked fifth.

Malaga Airport, on the Costa del Sol on Spain´s south coast which is within striking distance of popular resorts like Marbella and Torremolinos, was the most popular destination for low-cost flights during the month.

Spain is becoming one of the main battlegrounds for low-cost carriers in Europe.