The extra aircraft will allow easyJet to operate 39 routes to destinations throughout the UK, Europe, North Africa and the Middle East from Edinburgh in summer 2023.

Currently, easyJet has two 156-seat Airbus A319 aircraft and six 186-seat Airbus A320s based in Edinburgh. The new addition will be based there year-round.

EasyJet will operate more than a quarter of a million flights next summer – 9 May to 30 September – including more than 14,000 to and from Scotland, where it offers a total of 45 destinations across its operations in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness.

EasyJet’s summer 2023 flight programme went on sale earlier this week. One-way fares lead in from £29.99pp. Destinations available from Edinburgh include Lisbon, Naples, Munich and Keflavik.

Ali Gayward, easyJet’s UK country manager, said Scotland remained an important focus for the airline after nearly 30 years’ operation there.

"We continue to see opportunity in Scotland, which is why we are delighted to be adding an additional aircraft to our Edinburgh airport base to serve even more customers in Scotland next summer," said Gayward.

Kate Sherry, Edinburgh airport aviation director, added: "The continued expansion of easyJet at Edinburgh airport shows the strength the Edinburgh market has, as well as the confidence one of our closest airline partners has in Scotland’s busiest airport. The industry’s recovery is still ongoing, and this additional based aircraft will sustain the positive trajectory that we have seen at Edinburgh.

"The launch of the summer programme comes at a great time as we move into the winter and we begin to think about that summer holiday and dream about the sunshine and the beach."