Low-fare airline easyJet is to begin operating from a new UK airport and will carry around 800,000 passengers in the first 12 months from its new base, it was announced on Thursday.
The budget carrier is to start flights at Southend airport in Essex from April 2012, where a multimillion-pound terminal will open this autumn.
Under a 10-year partnership with the airport's owners, Stobart Group, easyJet will operate 70 flights a week to a number of European destinations including Barcelona, Ibiza and Faro in Portugal.
Around 150 easyJet staff will work at the airport, which will be the carrier's 11th UK base. EasyJet will be operating three Airbus A319 planes and tickets will go on sale at the end of next month.
EasyJet customer and revenue director Catherine Lynn said: "We are excited to be opening Southend. The airport is in a fantastic location just outside London with a fast rail link into the city.
"Through offering easy and affordable travel, we expect the new routes to appeal to customers in Essex and London looking for a convenient new departure point for many top European destinations. We also believe that the European city links will also attract a high number of inbound business and leisure passengers to London next year.
The airport's managing director, Alastair Welch, said: "We are delighted to announce our partnership with easyJet.
"This summer we open a dedicated railway station with up to eight services an hour to Stratford – site of the 2012 Olympic Games, and to London Liverpool Street station, both in well under an hour.
"A new state-of-the-art control tower is now operational, work on our runway extension is under way, as is a new terminal building to be completed this autumn, and a new hotel that will open in 2012."
www.southendtaxis.co.uk
