The budget carrier pulled out of Southend during the pandemic, but resumed operations there in May 2022. However, Monday’s launch (31 March) marks the first time it has based aircraft there.
EasyJet will operate 122 flights a week from Southend this summer with its network at the airport growing a previous seven routes to 20, amounting to 330,000 seats to beach and city destinations across Europe and north Africa.
New additions include Tenerife, Marrakech, Antalya, Reus, Almeria, Pisa, Dalaman, Enfidha, Gran Canaria and Malta, with Barcelona, Lanzarote and Salzburg poised to be added to from October. EasyJet has also pre-emptively extended nine summer routes to operate over the winter.
Speaking at the launch on Monday, easyJet’s chief executive Kenton Jarvis said basing aircraft in Southend would open up more opportunities for easyJet holidays to package flights from the Essex airport.
EasyJet said the new base would create 140 direct new roles for pilots and cabin crew, and would support a further 1,200 jobs. It follows the launch of its Birmingham base last summer.
