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UK’s low-cost carrier easyJet will start operating from the London Southend Airport and will carry around 800,000 passengers in the first 12 months from its new base. The airline also announced its new 10-year contract with Stobart Group.
Low-cost airline easyJet announced on Thursday that it will begin operations from the London Southend Airport from April 2012. easyJet, renowned among budget travellers for providing cheap flights tickets, will open its newest hub with three A319 aircraft and more than 150 employees. The airline plans to carry around 800,000 passengers from the airport in its first year.
One of the UK’s largest carriers, easyJet will provide flights to 10 European destinations from the airport, including popular holiday spots like Barcelona, Berlin and Milan. The airline will offer 70 flights per week, which means there are plenty of seats available for travellers who prefer cheap flight tickets. Tickets for these flights will go on sale at the end of July.
London Southend Airport will be easyJet’s 11th base in the United Kingdom. It is a very well connected airport as it is located very close to a new train station that offers regular services to London. London Southend Airport will also be inaugurating its multi-million pound terminal in autumn 2011.
Catherine Lynn, easyJet’s Customer and Revenue Director, was quoted in the company’s website as stating, “We are excited to be opening London Southend as easyJet’s 20th base airport. The airport is in a fantastic location just outside London with a fast rail link into the city. This is a unique opportunity to offer a world class customer experience, with passengers able to get from the plane to the train in 15 minutes.
“Through offering easy and affordable travel, we expect the new routes to appeal to customers in Essex and London looking for a convenient new departure point for many top European destinations. We also believe that the European city links will also attract a high number of inbound business and leisure passengers to London next year,” she added.
London Southend Airport’s Ten Year Contract with easyJet
London Southend Airport, part of the Stobart Group, has agreed upon a 10 year contract with easyJet. This partnership gains more prominence in the wake of the 2012 London Olympics as huge influx of tourists are expected in the city during the world’s biggest multi-event sporting competition. This airport’s annual passenger traffic is likely to reach the figure of 1 million after easyJet starts its operations from the airport.
The Stobart Group has an investment plan for London Southend that will enable the airport to offer one of the quickest routes to central London for passengers travelling from the European continent. The airport also aims to trim down the flight time and provide a fast terminal experience to the passengers.
The airport’s agreement with easyJet now allows London Southend to demonstrate its potential to the fullest.
London Southend Airport‘s Managing Director, Alastair Welch expressed his pleasure at the collaboration with the airline.
“We are delighted to announce our partnership with easyJet, servicing a comprehensive variety of routes into Europe and hot on the heels of other significant developments at London Southend. This summer we open a dedicated railway station with up to eight services an hour to Stratford – site of the 2012 games, and to London Liverpool Street, both in well under an hour,” Alastair Welch was quoted as saying.
He further added, “A new state-of-the-art control tower is now operational, work on our runway extension is underway, as is a new terminal building to be completed this autumn, and a new hotel that will open in 2012.
“All this makes London Southend an ideal gateway for both business and leisure travel across Europe, and puts us right on track for our target of serving over two million passengers annually.”