Budget carrier easyJet to boost operations at Liverpool with seventh aircraft

Budget carrier easyJet is expanding its base at Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

The no-frills airline will add a seventh aircraft to its Liverpool base and launch a new route to the Greek island of Corfu.

It is expected that the 156-seat A319 aircraft’s arrival will create around 40 local job opportunities at the airport.

It will be based in Liverpool throughout the summer season, and it joins two 156-seat Airbus A319, and four 186-seat A320 aircraft already serving the airline’s customers in Liverpool.

The new route between Liverpool and Corfu is scheduled to launch on June 4, 2023, with weekly departures on Sundays, offering customers in the North West even more choice when it comes to planning a beach holiday.

The airline will be putting its autumn 2023 schedule on sale tomorrow (December 8), meaning seats on tens of thousands of flights between October 1, and November 30, 2023, including for October Half Term, will be available.

A survey conducted by easyJet last month, November, has revealed a growing appetite for travel among respondents. It showed that almost two thirds (64%) are planning on flying abroad in 2023.

Holidays topped the list of most important things people planned to spend on in 2023, with two thirds (66%) saying this was the most important.

Also, 70% of people surveyed agreed that they will prioritise a holiday over other expenditure in their yearly budget, and three quarters said it was one of their most important plans for next year.

To prioritise their holiday, people will be cutting back on other discretionary spend, like eating out (46%), or new clothes (40%), and on big purchases such as new cars or home improvements (33%).

Consumers are also looking at the way they holiday to prioritise a holiday, with two thirds of people saying they will be booking with a low-cost carrier (66%), while three quarters of people will fly short haul instead long haul (74%) and holiday in closer to home destinations in Europe (70%) to protect their holidays.

The majority (80%) also believed that holidaying in the UK can be more expensive.

Ali Gayward, easyJet’s UK country manager, said: “The addition of another aircraft will help us to further strengthen our network in Liverpool and offer customers an even wider range of destinations, like our new route to Corfu.

“We know that holidays are important to people, not only does travelling connect friends and family but it offers a wealth of benefits, from promoting wellbeing to experiencing new cultures. The results of our survey just go to show what a priority it is for people, with so many determined to protect their holidays.”

She added: “It is fantastic to see that so many consumers plan to travel next year already.”

Paul Winfield, director of aviation development for Liverpool John Lennon Airport, said: “We’re delighted that easyJet will be offering passengers from the North West and North Wales even more opportunities to fly from the region’s airport of choice, with more seats now on sale from Liverpool for next Summer as we continue our recovery from the pandemic.”

Budget carrier easyJet is the largest airline in Liverpool, with a 25-year history at the airport, offering flights on up to 26 routes to 10 countries across the UK, Europe and the Middle East.