From typicallyspanish.com

Costa Blanca
Low cost airlines increase the importance of El Altet airport in Alicante
By h.b.
Oct 3, 2008 - 7:33 AM

The addition of Ryanair offering a service between Madrid and Alicante from the middle of next month means that there will now be 27 flights a day between the two cities, creating almost a shuttle service.
Clickair is to increase the number of flights to Barcelona also from four to six a day.

El Altet has now overtaken Tenerife Sur to become the 6th busiest airport in Spain with the dramatic growth in the number of low-cost flights from companies such as Easyjet, Air Berlin and Ryanair.

Air traffic at Alicante was up 9% over the first eight months of this year compared to last, and the numbers are expected to hold in the low season thanks to British tourists.