Flights from Inverness to Madeira, Italy, Portugal and Majorca have carried more than 3,108 passengers since April while inbound holiday charters from Switzerland have carried a further 708 passengers.

Holiday companies Thomson, Transun and Newmarket Holidays have all operated flights from Inverness this year while Falcon operated the inbound Swiss charters.

The success of the holiday flights contributed towards July 2005 being the airport’s busiest ever month on record when more than 70,000 passengers used the region’s hub airport.

Inverness Airport manager James Walton said: “Holidaymakers are clearly taking advantage of the opportunities to fly on charters from their local airport and this provides an excellent foundation from which we can grow the charter market.

“We are keen to work with tour operators to increase the number of outbound holiday flights available from Inverness and also to bring more visitors into the region on holiday flights from Europe.”

Alex Johnson, HIAL’s commercial and marketing manager added: “We will shortly be publishing the 2006 charter programme for the airport and expect that many people will be booking early to ensure they get to their place in the sun direct from Inverness.”