IRONICALLY, budget airline Easyjet has grown load factors during one of the harshest recessions in generations.

During a visit to Liverpool John Lennon airport last week, chief executive Andy Harrison reported a 10% increase in seats sold compared with three months earlier.

And the son of a Bootle docker’s family said he sees no end to the airline’s continuing healthy growth.

He said: “In a more normal environment, we expect to still move forward, but we are doing this in the teeth of a recession when Easyjet has performed really well.”

Mr Harrison said the company – which is JLA’s biggest carrier by passenger numbers with 2.5m each year and is set to celebrate its 25 millionth passenger since arriving at Liverpool in 1997 – currently claims between 16% and 17% of market share. He sees no reason why that should not grow further.

“The critical area of our success is what happens to the fares,” he said. “We don’t set the prices, the market sets the prices, and there’s a strong consumer demand for what we do.

“We offer the lowest prices to the most convenient airports.

“That has been a strong proposition during the recession.”

He also believes Easyjet’s image, in contrast to the sometimes abrasive views of rival Ryanair’s chief executive Michael O’Leary and their extra charges for services such as baggage and checking-in, endears the carrier to the public.

“Easyjet has done better because the customer likes us,” he said. “I think Ryanair have pushed it too far and customers are fed up with being ripped off.

“We care for our passengers and our crews. Our view is, a smile costs nothing.”

And, in another thinly veiled jibe at his rival over route changes, he added: “We have a much longer-term philosophy. We don’t just move planes around like butterflies.”

TRADING GOSSIP: P16