Wizz Air passenger numbers up, adds new routes to Poland, Bulgaria, Lithuania

Wizz Air passenger numbers increased 23.3% in January, while the budget eastern Europe-focused airline also announced new routes to and from Poland, Bulgaria and Lithuania.

Passenger numbers last month rose to 1.87m from 1.52m in January 2016, as the load factor – which gauges how full the planes actually are – was up to 88% from 83.5%.

On a rolling 12-month basis, passenger numbers increased 19% to 23.1m.

The number of seats grew 17% in January to 2.13m and on a rolling 12-month biais by 17.1% to 25.87m.

The FTSE 250 company announced in January that it has added new routes to and from Poland and Bulgaria.

It also commenced operations of two new routes to and from Poland and Lithuania.

Shares in Wizz Air were down 0.06% to 1,615p at 0812 GMT.