EasyJet has announced plans to relaunch its base at London Southend Airport, five years after the base was closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
As detailed in my 2011 report The airline originally opened a base in Southend in 2012, following the opening of the airport's new terminal building and expanded runway.
In August 2020 easyJet confirmed it would close its bases in Stansted, Southend and Newcastle as a result of Covid-19, but the airline resumed flights from Southend in May 2022and currently flies from the airport to destinations such as Amsterdam, Paris CDG, Faro, Geneva, Malaga and Palma de Mallorca.
The relaunched base in Southend will see three 186-seat A320 neo aircraft based at the airport from March 2025, with six new routes to Pisa, Gran Canaria, Dalaman, Antalya, Marrakech and Enfidha.
EasyJet added that more routes will be announced “in the coming weeks”.
The low-cost carrier is currently the only scheduled airline operating to Southend (Bulgaria's BH Air will launch charter flights to Burgas next month). Ryanair ceased flights from Southend in November 2021.
Ryanair leaves London Southend
Aeroitalia was to launch flights between Southend and Milan Bergamo this spring, and other undisclosed routes will be followed. But the plans were abandoned in February. before the route began.
Commenting on the news, John Upton, chief executive of London Southend Airport, said:
“We are delighted to welcome easyJet to an easyJet base in London Southend, supporting and creating hundreds of jobs locally, as well as convenient, new and returning connections to many popular urban and leisure destinations.
“This move is indicative of the demand from people in east London, Essex and the wider East Anglia region, who now have greater opportunities to choose to travel through our well-connected, fast and easy airport. easyJet passengers will start their holiday early in London Southend as they relax and discover our award-winning terminal experience.
“Our dedicated train station is less than an hour from central London; just 43 minutes from Stratford, London, with connections to the Elizabeth Line; and only 100 steps from the terminal door.”
easyjet.com, londonsouthendairport.com
