Travel News: Ryanair Is Second Busiest Airline At Turin Airport

Turin Airport has announced a staggering 91-percent increase in traffic for Ryanair in 2010.

In a statement released Jan. 18, the airport said Alitalia was still its leading airline, transporting 1.2 million passengers, but the UK's no-frills airline Ryanair had risen to second place.

Ryanair transported 494,000 passengers out of Turin in 2010 - which is a staggering 91 percent increase on the previous year.

The airport also set a new record for itself last year, reporting an 11-percent increase in both national and international traffic. This popular ski airport saw its highest numbers to date in 2010, with 3,560,169 departures.

These figures are surprising in light of the many disruptive events of the last year: the volcanic eruption in Iceland; strikes by handling companies; closure of the airport for runway redevelopment; and the wave of cold weather which forced numerous airports to shut down air traffic due to snow.

Turin Airport is a popular arrival point for skiers heading to the Italian and French Alps. Within 1.5 hours' drive of the airport are the Italian resorts of Cesana Torinese, Claviere, Brusson, Bardonecchia, Breuil-Cervinia, Courmayeur, La Thuile, Valtournenche, and Sauze d'Oulx. Within two hours' drive are the French resorts of Briancon, Montgenevre, Les Deux Alpes, and Serre Chevalier.