Capacity in Turkey for 2022 has risen to 477,000 seats, up 104%, chief executive Johan Lundgren said, while the Canaries are up 34% to 287,000 and Greece is up 23% to 360,000.

The airline had a fleet of 308 aircraft as of 30 September, compared to 342 a year earlier.

Lundgren said he planned to increase the number at Gatwick from 63 in summer 2019 to “at least” 79 in summer 2022. He said easyJet had leased several slots from British Airways but did not disclose how many.

“It is a medium-term agreement, we have the opportunity to extend it,” he said. He said it was a “planned approach” as new aircraft were added. “I’m not so sure BA would want to see us have them for 15 years, but let’s see.”

EasyJet is shifting aircraft to the bases where it makes the most profits. Another two will be stationed at Manchester next summer, making 20. The airline has so far relocated 43 aircraft to other bases, for example reducing the number in Berlin from 34 to 16.

Lundgren said it was unclear until January and February schedules were published what rivals were doing, but added: “We can see there is retrenchment of capacity from legacy airlines. It’s a pretty healthy environment for us otherwise we would not be able to get the slot additions.”