easyJet to open 10th UK base at London Southend Airport next spring signalling continued UK growth

• The new UK base will open next March creating around 130 direct and supporting many more indirect jobs 

• Three A320neo aircraft will be based at London Southend, with six new routes launching to popular leisure destinations for summer 2025 and more to be announced in the coming weeks.

• Summer 2024 is set to be the biggest ever for easyJet holidays and this year the airline will operate more UK flying than ever before with 57 million seats and 70 new routes, fuelled by strong consumer demand for easyJet’s flights and holidays

easyJet has today announced it will be expanding its UK network by opening a three-aircraft base at London Southend next March. The investment will create around 130 direct jobs for pilots and crew in the UK and support many more indirect jobs. 

The 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. 

The UK is easyJet’s largest market with 56% of all easyJet passengers flying to and from UK airports and this announcement comes as the airline is set to operate more UK flying than ever before this year with over 57 million seats – 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. 

Investing in a 10^th base in the UK with three 186-seat A320neo aircraft at the airport strengthens easyJet’s network by positioning it as the carrier of choice to serve UK consumers and capture the continued demand for travel. 

The airline already serves international routes from London Southend to popular beach and city destinations Amsterdam, Geneva, Faro, Palma de Mallorca, Malaga and Paris Charles de Gaulle and has flown over seven million customers from London Southend since operations began in 2012. 

The planned addition of more aircraft is already enabling the airline to launch six new routes to Pisa, Gran Canaria, Dalaman and Antalya, Marrakech as well as Enfidha in Tunisia. easyJet holidays will be on sale from tomorrow with departures from 1 May 2025, meaning package holidays from London Southend will be available seven days a week, with flights on sale in the coming months. 

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.”

easyJet is the largest leisure airline in the UK and currently employs over 10,000 people across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.  As easyJet’s single largest market, the airline now has 10 bases in the UK at London Gatwick, London Luton, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast and now, London Southend. 

easyJet was founded in the UK launching operations nearly 30 years ago and since then has flown over 800 million customers and set to operate 100m annual seats this year. The airline now serves 21 UK airports offering over 500 routes from the UK to over 120 destinations in 30 countries across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

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