easyJet, the UK’s largest airline is celebrating two milestones at London Southend Airport today – 20 June 2013.

To further enhance the airline’s expansion and network of destinations from London Southend, easyJet has added a fourth aircraft to its fleet based at the airport. The additional plane will enable the launch of three new easyJet destinations to Berlin, Krakow and Newquay with 130,000 passengers expected to fly on these new services annually increasing passenger traffic at London Southend Airport by almost 20%. The announcement comes just over one month after easyJet’s inaugural flights to Edinburgh took off from the airport in May.

easyJet’s flights to Germany’s capital – Berlin are launching just in time for the city’s lively calendar of Summer music and arts festivals which the city is rapidly becoming renowned for alongside its many palaces and stunning historical landmarks like the Brandenburg Gate. For younger visitors, all the streets and famous monuments of Berlin have been recreated at the ‘Modell Park Berlin-Brandenburg,’ where all the attractions are dolls-house sized and a mini train takes the little-ones from attraction to attraction.

With the strong connections which Southend shares with Poland (the town is twinned with Sopot) it’s estimated that easyJet will carry 50,000 passengers between London Southend and Krakow who are travelling on business or for leisure to discover cultural wonders such as Wawel Hill and the spectacular backdrop of the Tatra mountains.

easyJet marked the addition of the fourth aircraft and its inaugural Newquay flight with a fun send-off by the London Southend Airport Fire Service which gave the plane a 40ft high water arch salute before it took-off.

Hugh Aitken, UK Commercial Manager at easyJet said:

“We are absolutely delighted to be celebrating further expansion at London Southend Airport today. The addition of another aircraft will help us to deliver long term, sustainable growth at the base providing passengers with a greater range of destinations, all with low fares and great service.

“In just one year almost a million easyJet passengers from the region have chosen our easy and affordable services from London Southend Airport to 15 destinations in Europe and the UK. We now operate 180 easyJet flights per week and look forward to celebrating many more milestones with the London Southend team in future.”

Alastair Welch London Southend Airport’s Managing Director said:

“The strength of our growing partnership with easyJet is underlined with the basing of this their fourth aircraft at London Southend Airport. These three additional destinations will give even more choice to the people of Southend and beyond, as well as offering exceptionally easy access into London for visitors from Berlin, Krakow and Newquay.""

easyJet’s flights from London Southend to Newquay, Krakow and Berlin are available from as little as £21.49,* £23.49* and £25.49* one way respectively (including taxes) and the addition of these new services brings the number of easyJet destinations to 15:

Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belfast, Berlin, Edinburgh, Faro, Geneva, Ibiza, Geneva, Krakow, Majorca, Malaga, Newquay and Venice.

For more information please contact Dagmar Dua on 07534 129 812 or the easyJet Press Office on 01582 525252/press.office@easyjet.com

*Prices are per person based on two people flying on the same booking. Fees and charges may apply.

More pictures available on request

About easyJet:

easyJet operates Europe's No. 1 air transport network with a leading presence on Europe's top 100 routes and at Europe's 50 largest airports.

easyJet flies over 200 aircraft on more than 600 routes between over 130 airports in 30 countries. More than 300 million Europeans live within one hour's drive of an easyJet airport, more than any other airline.

The airline takes sustainability seriously. easyJet invests in the latest technology, operates efficiently and fills most of its seats which means that an easyJet passenger's carbon footprint is 22% less than a passenger on a traditional airline, flying the same aircraft on the same route.