EasyJet : announces further expansion plans with a new seasonal base in Alicante

• Operational from spring 2024, the three aircraft new base will create approximately 100 direct job and support many more indirect jobs
• This follows the airline's recent announcement that it will be opening a new three-aircraft base in Birmingham, also opening next spring and, with the two new additions, will bring the total number of bases across the network to 30
• easyJet will offer 1.6 million seats to and from Alicante next summer, up 16% year on year, further growing its share of the leisure market to serve both airline and easyJet holidays customers for who Alicante has long been a popular summer leisure destination.

easyJet, Europe's leading airline, has today announced the opening of a new seasonal base in Alicante. Operational from spring 2024, this will be the airline's fourth base in Spain and 30th on its European network. The new base will create around 100 direct jobs for pilots and crew and many more indirect local jobs.

The new seasonal base will have three aircraft based in this region of the Mediterranean coast, which will allow the airline to offer 1.62 million seats in its first operational summer in 2024.

This represents 16% growth compared to the current 2023 summer season, where easyJet will fly 1.4 million seats across 11 routes to key destinations such as Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Geneva and Basel, among others.

Javier Gándara, easyJet's Country Director for Southern Europe, commented:

"We are proud to announce another new seasonal base in Spain, a strategically important market where we continue to grow, boost tourism and create jobs.

"Alicante is a very attractive destination and we believe that having a base offers great potential to expand our operations in the country, as well as allowing us to improve connectivity to and from the region. With this base we can bring the residents of Alicante closer to European cities of reference and, in turn, we strengthen Alicante's position on the international tourism map."

The move for further expansion comes following the airline's plans to open a year-round UK base in Birmingham, where it will also base three aircraft from next spring as part of its strategy to take advantage of key growth opportunities across its network.

Investing in a third seasonal base in Spain strengthens easyJet's network by positioning it as the carrier of choice to serve consumers and capture the continued demand for travel, further growing its share of the leisure market for both the airline and easyJet holidays customers, for who Alicante has long been a popular summer leisure destination.

Alicante joins the airline's seasonal bases in Palma de Mallorca (2017) and Malaga (2021) and Faro (2021), all strategic summer destinations for the airline and amongst the most popular on easyJet's network.

Since easyJet started operating from Alicante in 1999 with a first route linking the port city with London Stansted, the airline has carried 27.5 million passengers to and from Alicante and is the 2nd largest international airline at the airport.

ENDS