EasyJet returns to UK airport after Covid slump

EasyJet's chief executive Johan Lundgren is presiding over a major expansion programme

EasyJet has said it will reopen a base at London Southend Airport for the first time since before the Covid-19 pandemic.

The airline said six new routes would be introduced and it would "create about 130 jobs".

Passenger numbers at the Essex terminal dropped by 90% during the lockdowns and all commercial flights stopped temporarily.

The airport also announced that the takeover by private equity firm Carlyle, as majority shareholder, was completed overnight.

EasyJet's planes have already been flying in and out of Southend, but the new base meant that three aircraft would remain there permanently.

The airline has nine other bases in the UK and the new base would open in March 2025.

The firm said 130 posts would be created for pilots and crew at London Southend Airport (pictured)

Three A320neo aircrafts, which have 186 seats each, are set to be based at Southend, which would allow the airline to offer new routes to destinations including in Turkey and Tunisia.

As part of the firm's expansion plans, it also opened a base at Birmingham International Airport two months ago.

Johan Lundgren, the chief executive of EasyJet, said: "This will create hundreds of jobs and provide more choice for consumers with new routes and package holidays."

John Upton, the chief executive of London Southend Airport, said: “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."

Passenger numbers at Southend fell from 2.15 million in 2019-20 to 147,000 in 2020-21, and for a period there were no passenger flights whatsoever.

The airport announced post-tax losses of £21.5m in the year ending 28 February 2022.

John Upton said the new majority shareholder "secures our future"

Regarding the takeover, Mr Upton added: "It secures our future. Carlyle has lots of, obviously, financial power but also knows airports inside and out.

"It has great network opportunities to explore together over the coming weeks and months."

EasyJet said the UK was its largest market with 56% of passengers flying to and from UK airports.

The airline said it would be operating more flights this year than ever before, with more than 57 million seats – a 10% increase on last year.

It has launched 70 new routes from the UK.