It seems its time for easyJet to open another base (or more accurately, re-open a base), this time at London Southend Airport (or Southend Airport for those of us old enough to remember the place).
The new base will open in March 2025, with the airline planning to operate a three-aircraft base at London Southend. easyJet estimates the investment will create around 130 direct jobs for pilots and crew in the UK and support many more indirect jobs.
This move signals easyJet’s continued expansion in the UK, having launched a base at Birmingham International Airport in March as part of the airline’s strategy to take advantage of key growth opportunities across its network, given that the UK is the airlines largest market – with 56% of all easyJet passengers flying to and from UK airports.
In total, the airline flies over 57 million seats to and from the UK – a 10% increase versus last year – and has launched 70 new routes from the UK, fuelled by strong consumer demand for easyJet’s flights and holidays.
The airline already serves international routes from London Southend to destinations including Amsterdam, Geneva, Faro, Palma de Mallorca, Malaga and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
The planned addition of more aircraft is already enabling the airline to launch six new routes, including:
- Pisa
- Gran Canaria
- Dalaman
- Antalya
- Marrakech
- Enfidha
In Quotes
John Upton, CEO of London Southend Airport and Johan Lundgren, CEO of easyJet welcoming the launch – Image, easyJet
Commenting on the expansion plans, Johan Lundgren, CEO of easyJet, said:
“We are delighted to be announcing another three-aircraft base in the UK, at London Southend Airport. This will create hundreds of jobs and provide more choice for consumers with new routes and package holidays.
“Our continued growth and investment in the UK highlights the importance of the market where this year we will operate more flying than ever before with our customers choosing our flights and holidays because of our trusted brand, unrivalled network and great value fares.”
John Upton, CEO of London Southend Airport, said:
“We’re thrilled to welcome an easyJet base to London Southend, supporting and creating hundreds of jobs locally as well as convenient, new and returning connections to many popular leisure and city destinations.
“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. easyJet passengers will start their holiday sooner at London Southend as they relax and discover our award-winning terminal experience.
“Our dedicated on-site rail station is less than one hour from central London; only 43 minutes from Stratford, London with connections to the Elizabeth Line; and only 100 paces from the terminal door.”
Offering some interesting capacity
London Southend Airport (editors note – it has been and always will be just Southend Airport from someone who flew out of there on leisure flights when I was very much younger) has been repositioning itself, with new terminals and connectivity to London (with a one-seat ride to the City of London from the front door of the airport. taking 55 minutes)
It’s had some challenging times, with only BH Air and easyJet being the only operators flying out of the airport – even easyJet closed the base there in Mid-2020 due to the pandemic.
With a catchment area that covers East London, as well as ease of access through Essex, it should be able to capture traffic – if not for the bigger airport of Stansted Airport, which is an hour away from Southend.
Whilst London Southend Airport will be grateful for the investment and a base reopening, it will need to seek further airlines to start services to ensure it is sustainability – as well as fixed base operators who need close access to London
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