easyJet has launched its tenth UK base at London Southend Airport, in a move that strengthens its presence in the UK leisure travel market and creates around 1,200 jobs – including 140 direct roles for pilots and cabin crew.
The opening marks a 133% increase in flights from Southend compared to last summer, with the airline now operating 122 flights per week across 20 popular routes to Europe and North Africa.
It comes as easyJet kicks off its biggest ever UK summer season, with seven more aircraft joining its UK fleet. New additions are being deployed across bases including Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham and now Southend. In total, 44 new routes are launching from the UK this summer, alongside four brand new destinations.
The Southend base alone is responsible for 8% of all UK leisure travel growth driven by easyJet this year, according to the airline.
New destinations, new opportunities
easyJet has stationed three fuel-efficient Airbus A320neo aircraft at London Southend, allowing for new routes to destinations such as Tenerife, Marrakech, Antalya, Reus, Almería, Pisa, Dalaman, Enfidha, Gran Canaria and Malta. The airline expects nearly 10,000 passengers to take off during the first week of these new operations, coinciding with the start of the summer aviation season.
Kenton Jarvis, easyJet CEO, said the move was part of a broader strategy to invest in regional connectivity and meet growing demand:
“As the Government has recently acknowledged, aviation plays a crucial role as an enabler of economic growth by providing much-needed connectivity and creating many skilled jobs for regions like these.
“Our new base at London Southend consolidates our position as the UK’s largest leisure airline and will allow us to serve many more UK consumers with great value and more choice.”
The expansion also boosts easyJet holidays, which is expecting its biggest ever summer in 2025. Palma, Dalaman and Gran Canaria are currently the top destinations for package holidays booked through the service.
Southend Airport’s rising profile
The choice of Southend Airport is strategic. With around eight million people living within an hour of the airport—an area roughly the size of Switzerland—Southend Airport provides easyJet with a significant opportunity to grow its footprint.
Jude Winstanley, CEO of London Southend Airport, said:
“The opening of easyJet’s 10th base at London Southend Airport marks a significant milestone for both the airport and the local community. With more than 1,200 jobs supported, and new routes including Barcelona, Salzburg and Lanzarote on sale for winter, we’re entering our biggest summer season in six years.”
The airport has fast transport links, with a dedicated train line connecting it to Central London in under an hour and Stratford in just 43 minutes.
A boost for the region
Aviation Minister Mike Kane welcomed the move, saying:
“Aviation is critical to unlocking economic growth across the country, and I’m delighted to see easyJet open its new base at Southend Airport. Together with their plans to expand the fleet, I know this move will propel an aviation economic boom in the region and create hundreds of jobs across the sector.”
easyJet had already operated flights from Southend to seven destinations including Alicante, Malaga, Palma, Faro, Amsterdam, Geneva and Paris. The addition of 13 new routes over the past year brings the total to 20.
The airline is also planning an expanded winter schedule, with new services to Barcelona, Lanzarote and Salzburg. Nine summer routes will also be extended into the winter season due to popular demand.
Local Southend residents have welcomed the return of easyJet, with one passenger, Sharon Smith, saying: “I love Southend Airport – it’s so quick, efficient and no faffing about!”
Another, Marilyn Fardell, added: “I and many others would like Jersey to be one of the destinations, please!”
Founded nearly 30 years ago at London Luton Airport, easyJet has flown more than 800 million customers to and from the UK. It now serves 21 UK airports and offers 536 routes to 137 destinations in 29 countries across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.