easyJet expands at JLA

Dec 18 2007 by Caroline Innes, Liverpool Daily Post

BUDGET airline easyJet plans to cement its position as Liverpool’s largest airline by basing two more aircraft at the city’s airport.

The company, which carried more passengers than rival operator Ryanair over the summer, says the decision to increase the number of aircraft at Liverpool to 10 is part of a wider expansion of services across the North West.

Since arriving at JLA just over 10 years ago, easyJet has rapidly expanded and now flies to 20 destinations, carrying around 2.5million passengers a year.

Airport managers said this latest commitment to JLA by easyJet compliments their own expansion plans and will boost tourism throughout the region.

And later today Ryanair will announce their plans for their biggest-ever route expansion through Liverpool.

Commenting on easyjet’s announcement, Neil Pakey, JLA’s managing director said: “This further expansion of easyJet services at Liverpool is a sign of their continued commitment to low cost air travel both here on Merseyside and across the North West.

“This is good news for the airport and fits with the forecast passenger increases we expect to see here at Liverpool in future years, which the new Airport Master Plan takes account of.”

The move will make easyJet the biggest airline operating in the North West, carrying over four million passengers each year.

easyJet will also establish a new base at Manchester.

In October easyJet announced its intention to buy the British Airways franchise operator, GB Airways, which has a two-aircraft based at Manchester.

easyJet intends to maintain the GB Airways operation at Manchester and will add a further three aircraft, bringing the total number of aircraft based at Manchester to five by 2010. Mike Campbell, easyJet people director, said: “This means that by 2010, easyJet will have 15 aircraft oper- ating through the two principal airports in the North West.

“easyJet remains committed to our base at Liverpool John Lennon Airport and by launching additional operations from Manchester, we can make it even easier for everyone in the North West to have access to easyJet services.”

JLA recently completed their Master Plan, which will be launched in January 2008, to set out possible future infrastructure developments to cater for the forecast 8.3 million passengers expected to use JLA by 2015 and 12.3 million passengers by 2030.

carolineinnes