EasyJet is launching a new base in a big boost for holidaymakers.
The budget airline is opening a new travel hub base at Southend Airport which it says will "create about 130 jobs". Three easyJet aircraft will be based at the Essex and six new routes will be introduced, from what is the company's tenth airline base.
Once the planes start taking off from Southend next March, they will head to popular sunshine spots such as Turkey and Tunisia, the airline has said. Three 186-seat A320neo aircraft will serve the airport.
Currently easyJet does fly some routes from Southend, but its operations there are not technically considered a 'base'. Its expansion at Southend airport is part of the firm's general growth plans, which included opening a base at Birmingham International Airport two months ago.
The planned addition of more aircraft at Southend is enabling the airline to launch six new routes to Pisa, Gran Canaria, Dalaman and Antalya, Marrakech as well as Enfidha in Tunisia. This summer easyJet will fly to Alicante, Amsterdam, Faro, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca and Paris Charles de Gaulle from Southend.
Johan Lundgren, the chief executive of EasyJet, said: “We are delighted to be announcing another three-aircraft base in the UK. This will create hundreds of jobs and provide more choice for consumers with new routes and package holidays."
John Upton, the chief executive of London Southend Airport, said: “This move is indicative of the demand from people in the east of London, Essex and the wider East Anglia region who now have greater opportunities to choose to travel through our well connected, quick and easy airport."
This year the airline is set to operate more UK flying than ever before, with more than 57 million seats filled – a 10% increase on last year.
It was announced today that easyJet boss Johan Lundgren will step down in 2025 after seven years at the helm. The carrier said Mr Lundgren, who became chief executive in December 2017, will leave early next year and will be succeeded by chief financial officer Kenton Jarvis, who has been with the group since February 2021.
Details of the planned change at the top came as the group reported a headline pre-tax loss of £350 million for the six months to March 31, narrowed from losses of £411 million a year ago, and forecast strong profits growth for the full year.
EasyJet chairman Sir Stephen Hester said: "We are sad that Johan will retire from easyJet. He has done an excellent job as our chief executive since December 2017, steering the company through the immense challenges of the Covid period, and setting up a clear strategy and strong execution plan."
He added that his successor Mr Jarvis had "impressed since joining easyJet in 2021, is fully bought in to the plan and will hit the ground running".
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