AN influx of visitors to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and other major arts events saw passenger numbers soar at the city’s airport in August.

Edinburgh Airport said more than 1.4 million travellers passed through its gates during the month, making it the busiest August on record for the airport. It was also the second busiest month in history for the airport as a total of 1,403,797 international and domestic passengers passed through the terminals – up 8.3 per cent on August 2016 – beaten only by the 1,413,272 recorded in July.

The number of international visitors who went through the airport was up 11.4 per cent in August compared with the same month last year, at 912,259. Domestic travellers were up 3.1 per cent at 491,538.

Chief executive Gordon Dewar said: “Edinburgh and Scotland is one of the most scenic and attractive destinations throughout the whole year, but the festival season is famous the world over and adds that special extra something. The attraction of those festivals was a driver in what is another record month for the airport”.

Glasgow Airport also had its busiest August ever, with than one million flyers passing through – up seven per cent on last year. It means that, when June, July and August are tallied up, the airport had its best-ever summer for passenger numbers, with more than three million travelling through. August numbers were boosted by events taking place in the city such as the World Pipe Band Championships.

Aberdeen International Airport reported a 3.1 per cent rise in passenger numbers in August to 292,607. Helicopter traffic was down year at year but, at -4.5 per cent, the decline was less steep than in previous months.