easyJet boosts Manchester routes
DISCOUNT airline EasyJet has followed rival Ryanair’s lead in boosting its summer schedule from Manchester.
The carrier will operate three new routes – to Paris, Milan Malpensa and Olbia in Sardinia next summer. The growth means easyJet will operate 43 destination from Manchester in 2016.
The airline has also announced it will base two more aircraft to support the new routes, meaning 11 aircraft will be based in Manchester.
Across the new routes the airline is expected to fly 5,000 passengers a week from the airport throughout next summer, operating 9 times a week to Paris, up to 7 times a week to Milan Malpensa and twice a week to Olbia, Sardinia.
Ali Gayward, commercial manager at easyJet, said: “We’re pleased to be continuing to deliver an unrivalled network of destinations with three completely new routes placed on sale today from Manchester. This underlines our commitment to both leisure and business passengers in the North West. It is safe to say we are seeing significant growth at Manchester.”
Stephen Turner, commercial director at Manchester Airport added: “It’s fantastic news that easyJet is expanding for Summer 2016. Olbia is an exciting new scheduled route for Manchester Airport and provides greater access to Sardinia for our passengers. Milan and Paris are both hugely popular destinations, and this announcement strengthens the airline’s offering from the UK’s global gateway from the North.
“We are seeing more and more passengers ‘Fly Manchester’, which is evident after our most successful year on record where 22.9m passengers currently travel through the UK’s third biggest airport.
“With our two full length runways and a £1bn transformation program announced, Manchester Airport has, and will continue to have, the available capacity and demand to meet the needs of our catchment that extends as far North as Scotland and South to the Midlands.”
