New summer sun routes from easyJet

EasyJet has launched a number of new routes from Manchester and London Gatwick airports.

The low-cost carrier yesterday launched a Malaga service from Manchester, and will also begin flying to the Greek island of Crete from the airport as of today (May 2).

New London Gatwick services include a daily link to the southern French city of Montpellier, beginning today, and a twice-weekly connection to Mykonos which was launched yesterday.

EasyJet.com: 'best flights website'

EasyJet.com has been voted the number one website for booking flights by readers of Which? Holiday magazine.

The survey took in the opinions of some 3,000 flyers, with more than one in five naming the low-cost carrier's website as their favourite resource for making a booking.

EasyJet announces Manchester to Alicante service

EasyJet has confirmed it plans to begin operating a new service from Manchester Airport to the Spanish city of Alicante.

The low-cost airline will be running flights four times a week on the new route from September 29, with one-way fares costing from just £27.99 including tax.

easyJet launches new route to Nice

Low-cost carrier easyJet has launched a new service between Edinburgh and Nice.

The airline welcomed passengers aboard the service's first flight yesterday (April 24), and expects to carry 20,000 flyers on the route over the next 12 months.

easyJet launches three new routes from Bristol

Budget airline easyJet launched a service between Bristol Airport and Biarritz yesterday (April 23), and is set to introduce two further routes this weekend.

Services between Bristol and Olbia in Sardinia and Split in Croatia will begin operations on Saturday (April 26) and the airline expects to carry 47,000 passengers on all three new routes over the next 12 months.

David Osborne, easyJet UK general manager, said: "EasyJet has seen a huge increase in flights to summer sun destinations in 2007-2008 from Bristol International Airport, with the arrival of Ibiza, Bordeaux, Milan, Lisbon, Warsaw and Funchal last year.

easyJet welcomes CC report into BAA

Budget airline easyJet has welcomed the Competition Commission's (CC) interim report criticising airport regulator BAA's monopoly over UK airports.

The CC's 'emerging thinking' document, released yesterday (April 22), stated that it was "inclined" to the view that the airport regulator's common ownership was "a feature of the market that adversely affects competition between airports and/or airlines".

Andy Harrison, easyJet's chief executive, described the report as "a major step in the right direction", but called for "a fundamental overhaul of UK airport regulation".

easyJet launches flights from Glasgow to Faro

Low-fare airline easyJet launched its first flight from Glasgow to Faro, Portugal today, offering passengers in Scotland a chance to escape to the sun.

The twice weekly service, operating Tuesday and Saturday, increases to a three times a week service during the busy summer period of June 26 to August 28, with fares starting from £23.99 one way.

The airline expects to carry 16,000 passengers on the route in the next 12 months offering Glaswegians the chance to visit the popular holiday destinations, as Faro is also a favourite among golfers.

David Osborne, of easyJet, said: "Another popular destination on the easyJet network has landed in Scotland. This direct route to Faro has already proven a popular choice and will offer all Scots the opportunity to experience the glorious Algarve from their local airport. Forward bookings for the route have been very strong which further proves the demand for direct low-cost flights from Glasgow to the sun."

easyJet website 'number one' travel portal

Low-cost carrier easyJet has been named the number one airline website for the third year running.

According to figures released by Hitwise, an online competitive intelligence company, easyJet's website is also the most visited of any travel and transport company, in front of rail, ferry and car websites as well.

The statistics were gathered after Hitwise monitored the internet habits of 8.43 million UK internet users throughout 2007.

easyJet withholds BAA price hike payment

Low-cost carrier easyJet announced today (April 15) that it would be withholding part of passenger charges payments owed to Gatwick Airport operator BAA.

In a letter addressed to BAA's new chief executive Colin Matthews, easyJet expressed its objection to the 21 per cent increase in passenger charges at the airport, which came into effect on April 1.

The airline stated that it would withhold the full payment in a separate bank account, pending the result of a Judicial Review. If the legal challenge should fail, the airline promises to pay the money and any interest accrued. However, if the challenge succeeds, the company plans to return the money to its customers.

EasyJet reports annual passenger growth

Passenger numbers for low-cost carrier easyJet have experienced an annual increase of more than 20 per cent.

EasyJet released its passenger statistics for March yesterday (April 7) and revealed that the total number of people who flew with the airline last month was 3,730,143, up from 3,094,588 in March 2007.

This figure includes GB Airways routes. EasyJet acquired GB on January 31 and it operated as a British Airways franchise until the end of February.

easyJet opens new base at Lyon Airport

easyJet has opened its 20th base at Lyon Saint-Exupery Airport, part of the airline's €600 million (£472 million) investment plan.

The base was opened today (April 4) in the presence of the Mayor of Lyon, Mr Gerard Collomb, and will be served by brand-new Airbus A319 aircraft.

Additional routes to be launched from the airport include five new European and North-African routes, to Venice, Marrakech, Casablanca, Lisbon and Porto, as well as three French domestic services to Bordeaux, Toulouse and Biarritz.

New easyJet route from Jersey to Liverpool

easyJet has launched a new service from Jersey to Liverpool, following the success of its Jersey to Luton route, which was opened on March 20.

The low-cost carrier is now offering a daily service from the island to the north west, with one-way fares starting at £21.99, including taxes.

easyJet launches two new routes from Luton

easyJet has announced the launch of two new services to Pisa and Jersey from Luton Airport.

Flights on the new daily service to Jersey will cost from £21.99 one-way and £37.98 return, while the service to Pisa will cost from £23.99 one-way and £41.98 return. Fares include taxes.

Approximately 100,000 passengers are expected to use the new routes over the next 12 months, according to the airline.

easyJet urges CAA to make BAA's failing finances public

Low-fare airline easyJet has called on the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to make BAA's failing finances public, in the wake of this week's landing charges hike.

In a letter to the CAA today (March 13), the airline has requested that the data regarding the financial situation of BAA and the Ferrovial Group be released under the Freedom of Information Act.

easyJet has expressed its alarm at recent statements made by BAA's chief executive Stephen Nelson, suggesting the airport authority is in an uncertain position.

easyJet launches Speedy Boarding

Low-cost carrier easyJet has launched a new membership card that will give passengers the opportunity to pay to be among the first called to board a flight.

The easyJet Plus card allows unlimited Speedy Boarding on every flight without prior reservation by simply showing the card at check-in and at the boarding gate.

EasyJet passenger numbers up 22%

EasyJet has reported a rise in passenger numbers for February.

The low-cost airline experienced an increase of 22.4 per cent last month when compared to the same period in 2007.

It cited "strong load factors at both easyJet and GB Airways" as the reason behind the increase.

EasyJet criticised over 'refund' advert

EasyJet has been criticised by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over a promotional campaign it ran last summer.

The budget airline had listed a series of cheap flights before telling passengers that, if they could find lower-cost fares on the same route with another airline, they'd be refunded double the difference.

In its ruling, the ASA stated that easyJet had given the impression that any refund would be easy to obtain, while the terms and conditions of the offer made it clear that this was not the case.

EasyJet to end Belfast to Gdansk service

EasyJet has revealed that it will end its service between Belfast and Gdansk later this year, with the move designed to allow it to boost capacity on other, more popular, routes.

The twice-weekly service to the Polish city will be scrapped on May 20 and the aircraft used will be redeployed to its routes from Belfast to Prague and Malaga, The Belfast Telegraph reported.

A spokesman for the airline told the newspaper that "we are notifying passengers who have booked to Gdansk on flights after May 20 and giving them refunds".

EasyJet criticises increase in Gatwick charges

EasyJet has criticised proposals to increase security charges at London Gatwick Airport, claiming that the costs will be passed on to passengers.

Gatwick's owner BAA was given permission to increase charges by the Civil Aviation Authority last year, with annual security costs set to rise from £31.4 million to £82.9 million.

While BAA has claimed that the increased levy on airlines using the airport is necessary to help increase the number of security personnel and to end the rule allowing one item of hand baggage, Andy Harrison, easyJet chief executive, has attacked the move.

EasyJet launches new East Midlands to Palma route

EasyJet today (February 7) launched its new service between East Midlands Airport and Palma de Mallorca.

The service will operate three-times weekly on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday until April 12, when its frequency will increase to daily.

To celebrate the launch, the budget airline is offering one-way fares from £22.99 (including taxes), while return journeys are available from £35.35.

Charles de Gaulle base for easyJet officially opened

EasyJet has officially opened its base at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, its 19th in total, and outlined its plans to serve 12 million passengers by 2011.

The new base at France’s most important airport is part of a €600m investment over a four-year-period and will see easyJet increase its fleet in France from six based aircraft to 20.

With its other base at Orly Aiport, to the south of Paris, easyJet will offer 28 routes to domestic, European and North African destinations from the French capital, where four million passengers are expected this year.

EasyJet completes GB Airways takeover

EasyJet has completed the takeover of GB Airways, clearing the way for the budget airline to operate its first flights from Manchester Airport, as well as increasing its services from London Gatwick.

The deal was completed yesterday (January 31), with easyJet paying current owners the Bland Group £103.5 million for the airline.

Regulator approval for the takeover was given earlier this year, with the airlines having previously entered a code-sharing agreement.

New easyJet Mastercard offers free flights

Holders of a new credit card are set to benefit from free and discounted flights on easyJet services as part of a fresh offering by card provider Citi Cards.

The easyJet Mastercard offers card holders a range of flight benefits, including a free £40 journey if they spend £250 within the first three months after activating their card.

Within the same period passengers also receive ten per cent back on all easyJet flights booked using the card.

At the same time, anyone taking out the new service will be included in a rewards programme, easyJet 1-2-3, allowing users to accumulate savings on future easyJet flights by spending on both the airline's services and other purchases.

easyJet launches Liverpool to Innsbruck flight

EasyJet has today (January 8) launched its new route between Liverpool and the Austrian city of Innsbruck.

The new service will be available three times every week, on Tuesdays, Thursday and Sundays, with fares available from £24.99 one way and £44.98 return, including taxes.

As well as its status as the provincial capital of the Tyrol, the city of Innsbruck is also known as the "Capital of the Alps", offering a gateway to snowsports enthusiasts looking to access Austria's ski resorts.

Launching the new route, the company's David Osbourne said: "easyJet has seen a huge increase in flights to ski and summer destinations this year, reinforcing easyJet's position as the favourite airline for independent travellers, providing convenient low-cost flights from your local airport."

EasyJet maintains one bag rule to 'minimise confusion'

EasyJet has announced it will maintain its policy allowing passengers to bring only one item of hand baggage onto its flights, despite the government's announcement that it will be lifting hand luggage restrictions at a number of UK airports on January 7.

The budget airline claimed that its decision was a reflection of a belief that the current situation regarding hand baggage regulation could lead to passenger confusion and price rises.

"There is massive scope for customer confusion in an environment where UK airports are adopting different policies. The only way to maintain a simple and standard policy is to maintain our one bag policy," said Andy Harrison, easyJet's chief executive.

EasyJet puts GB Airways routes on sale

EasyJet has announced that 32 routes currently operated by GB Airways can now be booked for travel in summer 2008 via its website, www.easyjet.co.uk.

The development comes after the budget airline entered a code-sharing agreement with GB Airways, in advance of a deal to purchase the carrier from its current owner British Airways (BA).

While BA will continue to operate flights under the GB Airways banner until March 30, from then on all 32 routes will be operated by easyJet, with the company looking to integrate the carrier into its brand by winter 2008.

easyJet offers Gatwick-Biarritz flights

Low-cost airline easyJet will begin a new service from Gatwick to Biarritz next summer.

Beginning on July 4, the four-times weekly service will depart on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and fares will begin at £25.99 one-way (including taxes).

An elegant and authentic resort, Biarritz is on the south-west coast of France, and is the ideal location for a short break or weekend getaway.

As well as this, a six-times weekly connection between Gatwick and Innsbruck began this week, with flights departing on each day of the week aside from Saturday. Prices begin at £24.99 one-way, including taxes.

easyJet introduces Speedy Boarding Plus

EasyJet has today (December 18) launched a new fast check-in option to benefit users of its Speeding Boarding service.

The new option provides a dedicated desk for passengers who have paid extra to be among the first to join a flight but still have baggage to check-in.

Andy Harrison, the airline's chief executive, said: "Speedy Boarding Plus is the latest easyJet innovation to give our customers more choice and flexibility.

New base at Manchester for easyJet

Manchester Airport is to be home to a new easyJet base as the low-cost airline outlined its plans for the North West of England.

Following its takeover of GB Airways earlier this year, easyJet is to re-brand two aircraft in its distinctive orange livery, and intends to have five aircraft at the airport by 2010.

And by the same time easyJet has said it will have ten aircraft based at Liverpool John Lennon Airport by 2010 as well, making it the largest airline in the region, and able to offer 40 routes to an estimated eight million passengers within an hour's drive of the two airports.

Birmingham gets first easyJet route

EasyJet has launched its first ever route from Birmingham International Airport today (December 14) with a winter ski flight to Geneva.

The addition of Birmingham to the easyJet network brings the total number of airports now served by the airline in Europe to 79, and is its fourteenth in the UK.

With one-way fares starting from £22.99, the daily service to Geneva will offer winter sports fans the chance to reach many Alpine resorts.

Bournemouth to Grenoble flight launched by easyJet

Budget airline easyJet has launched a flight from Bournemouth Airport to the winter ski slopes of Grenoble.

The airline will operate three flights a week to the French city, which acts as a gateway to the Alps, with one-way tickets starting from £22.99.

David Osborne, easyJet’s UK general manager, said: "EasyJet has seen a huge increase in flights to ski destinations this winter, re-enforcing easyJet’s position as the favourite airline for independent skiers, providing convenient low-cost flights from your local airport. Grenoble is a perfect gateway for reaching some of Europe’s top winter sports resorts."

EasyJet announces six new routes for summer 2008

EasyJet has announced six new routes for next year, as part of its continuing expansion plans.

David Osborne, the budget airline's UK general manager, said: "easyJet will launch 18 new routes over the next few months from our bases across the UK and we will shortly announce further expansion, re-enforcing our position as the UK's largest airline."

The new routes are:

- Bristol to Biarritz, starting April 23, 2008, four weekly flights with a one-way fare of £19.99
- Bristol to Olbia, starting April 26, 2008, three weekly flights with a one-way fare of £21.99

New routes to Greece and Spain from easyJet

EasyJet has announced it will start a new service from London Gatwick to the Greek city of Thessaloniki early next year.

The low-cost airline will offer flights three times a week, starting on January 30, with one-way tickets starting from £27.99.

David Osborne, easyJet UK general manager, said: "Thessaloniki is the second Greek destination easyJet will offer from the UK and we expect to carry over 41,000 passengers on the route this summer. The addition of this new service takes the total number of routes available from our base at Gatwick to 44."

Two new routes to Jersey started by easyJet

EasyJet has announced it is to start new flights to Jersey from Liverpool and Luton starting next year.

Daily flights will be available from both airports, with the link from Liverpool John Lennon Airport beginning on March 31, while the Luton service will take to the skies on April 21.

It is the first time easyJet has operated flights to Jersey, a point highlighted by airline representative David Osborne. "This is an exciting development for easyJet.

easyJet begins Liverpool to Lisbon route

Low-cost airline easyJet has inaugurated flights between Liverpool and the Portuguese capital Lisbon.

The route will operate four times weekly, with fares starting at £38.98 return (including taxes). The airline expects to carry more than 40,000 passengers over the first year of operation.

Lisbon has much to offer the holidaymaker. Lonely Planet calls it one of the most enjoyable cities in Europe, noting its "cultural diversity, laid-back feel and architectural time warp", and its tree-lined avenues and mosaic pavements.

New Luton to Vienna easyJet route

No-frills airline easyJet has begun flying between London Luton and Vienna.

The first flight to the Austrian capital took off on Monday (October 29), and the service will continue to operate on a daily basis.

On weekdays, flights will depart London at 10.45am, arriving in Vienna at 2.15pm; on the way back they will leave at 2.45pm and get back to Luton at 4.10pm.

New Bournemouth to Krakow route from easyJet

EasyJet launched a new route between Bournemouth and Krakow in Poland yesterday.

To mark the occasion, traditional Polish dancers took to the streets of the Dorset town to hand out gifts and food, and the first passenger to check in received two free flights for the new Bournemouth to Grenoble route that launches on December 13.

Flights to Krakow operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with fares available from £19.99 one-way (£37.98 return) including taxes. EasyJet hopes to carry around 36,000 passengers on the route in the first year.

easyJet to acquire GB Airways as BA ends franchises

Budget airline easyJet is to acquire GB Airways, a British Airways franchise airline that operates 15 Airbus aircraft and offers 39 routes from Gatwick, Heathrow and Manchester.

The orange-liveried low-cost carrier has agreed to acquire the entire issued share capital of GB Airways for £103.5 million, with the airline being fully integrated into easyJet's business model by the end of next year.

Most GB Airways routes fly from Gatwick (destinations include Alicante, Gibraltar, Ibiza, Marrakech and Sharm El Sheikh) and when the deal goes through easyJet will operate just under a quarter of the south London airport's take-off and landing slots. The consolidation will strengthen easyJet at a time when rivals such as Ryanair are growing rapidly.

easyJet celebrates ten years at Liverpool

Low-cost airline easyJet is celebrating ten years of service at Liverpool Airport.

The carrier's first route from the Merseyside hub (now known as Liverpool John Lennon Airport) was to Amsterdam, and took off on October 27, 1997 - two years after easyJet was originally established.

Now the company, founded by entrepreneur Stelios Haji-Ioannou, has eight aircraft based at the airport and flies 2.5 million passengers per year on 19 different European routes.

easyJet has extra Rugby World Cup flights

Budget airline easyJet is providing extra flights to Paris this weekend so that more rugby fans can reach the French capital for the World Cup final.

On Saturday (October 20), England will take on South Africa at the Stade de France in Paris as they defend their World Cup crown, and hordes of supporters will make the short trip to France to cheer on Johnny Wilkinson and co.

easyJet unveils new uniform

Budget airline easyJet has unveiled its new cabin crew uniform, which was designed by the company's staff members themselves.

In order to create the new look, the easyJet cabin crew were given the chance to take part in a competition and design something suitable to their specific needs. A shortlist of three was whittled down from hundreds of entries and the crew then voted for their favourite.

The winning design is a more formal look than the original black jeans and orange t-shirts, which had "I'm an easy crew member" written on the back.

easyJet announces new bases in Paris and Lyon

easyJet has announced that it will open its 18th and 19th bases in France, with three aircraft stationed at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and two at Lyon.

The five aircraft will operate 13 routes both within France and internationally. At Paris, flights will begin to Biarritz, Porto, Venice, Marrakech, Hamburg and Krakow.

From Lyon's Saint-Exupery Airport, flights will begin to Bordeaux, Toulouse, Casablanca, Marrakech, Venice, Porto and Lisbon.

Celebrations mark new route to Poland from Bristol

Low-cost operator easyJet celebrated the launch of its new service from Bristol International to Warsaw with Polish music and traditional baked delicacies.

The first flight took off today (October 2) and the first passenger to check in was Mr Zbigniew Bujnowski, who was awarded two free flights for easyJet’s next new Polish route to Gdansk, which launches at the end of the month.

David Osborne, easyJet UK general manager, said: "It is clear there is a strong demand for low-cost flights connecting the South West and Poland, as Bristolians embrace the Polish culture and explore Eastern Europe at its best and now the Polish ex-pat community living in the region can visit home more often.

easyJet to launch East Midlands to Barcelona route

Low-cost airline easyJet has announced a new four-times weekly route between East Midlands Airport and Barcelona for the coming winter's schedule.

Flights will begin on December 7, with fares available from £17.99 one-way or £30.98 return, including taxes. The service will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

It will be the only direct flight from East Midlands to the Spanish city and easyJet is looking to carry more than 70,000 passengers in the first 12 months.

easyJet begins Luton to Zurich route

easyJet has begun flying between London Luton and Zurich, the commercial centre of Switzerland, with fares beginning at £27.99 one-way, including taxes.

The airline expects to carry more than 160,000 passengers on the twice-daily route within the next 12 months.

As well as being an important financial centre and the gateway to many famous Alpine ski resorts, Zurich is known for its festive markets and terrific shopping. Its Kunsthaus art museum is also well-known, particularly for its large collection of Georgia O'Keeffe paintings.

easyJet calls for air passenger tax to be scrapped

Low-cost airline easyJet has called for air passenger duty (APD) to be scrapped in favour of a tax based on the eco-friendliness of various aircraft.

Although he conceded that climate change is "a real and imminent danger", the carrier's chief executive, Andy Harrison, said the aviation industry should not be "green-rollered" into accepting higher taxes.

The UK aviation sector is already taxed more heavily than in any other country, and more than any other form of transport.

EasyJet celebrates Edinburgh to Paris route

EasyJet brought a taste of the Moulin Rouge to Edinburgh in order to celebrate the launch of its service between the Scottish city and Paris.

Passengers for the first flight on the service enjoyed the sight of can-can dancers and breakfasted on croissants handed out at the airport.

"We are delighted to be celebrating yet another new route launch from Edinburgh. This direct route to Paris has already proved a popular choice and will offer all Scots the opportunity to experience the French capital from their local airport," said Katie Stitson from easyJet.

easyJet helps Liverpool celebrate city's 800th birthday

Liverpool's 800th birthday was marked at John Lennon Airport yesterday (Tuesday) with the help of easyJet.

The celebrations were triggered when the 800th passenger of the day, who was on board an easyJet flight, arrived at the airport. Barbara Strasser flew in on the carrier's morning flight from Geneva and as she was about to reclaim her luggage staff at the airport informed her of the significance of her arrival.

Katie Stitson, easyJet's Marketing Manager, said: "easyJet is delighted to have carried the 800th arriving passenger today to mark Liverpool's special birthday. easyJet began operations at Liverpool nearly ten years ago and has carried millions of passengers into the city from its 19 routes during that time."

easyJet launches two new routes

Low-cost carrier easyJet has announced two new routes, from East Midlands to Palma (Mallorca) and London Luton to Hamburg (Germany).

The airline will begin the once daily flights to Hamburg on November 5 and the three-times weekly service to Palma on February 7, 2008.

Fares for the Hamburg flights are available from £20.99 one-way and fares for the Palma flights will start from £22.99 one-way.

easyJet to add Bulgaria to route network

easyJet has announced an expansion to its network that includes its first route to Bulgaria.

Flights from London Gatwick to the Bulgarian capital Sofia will begin on November 6, and new connections from Liverpool to Lisbon (from November 2) and Innsbruck (from January 8) will also be offered.

The three-times weekly flights to Sofia will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with prices beginning at £50.98 return, including taxes.

easyJet to charge £2 for checked in luggage

Low-cost airline easyJet has begun charging passengers to check in any pieces of luggage.

Until now travellers have been able to check in one bag for free, with subsequent bags costing £5 each. However, for bookings made for travel from October 1, each piece of hold baggage will incur a cost of £2 per flight sector (ie. each way).

The total maximum hold baggage weight per passenger remains unchanged at 20 kilograms. Carry-on baggage must not exceed 55cm x 40cm x 20cm, with no weight restriction.

easyJet announces new Belfast routes

easyJet is to launch four new routes from Belfast International Airport in the autumn, to Barcelona, Prague, Venice and Gdansk.

The connection to Gdansk (Poland) will begin on October 30 and will operate twice weekly. Flights to Prague (four times weekly) and Venice (twice weekly) will both begin on November 1, and those to Barcelona (three times weekly) will start on November 3.

easyJet collecting for The Anthony Nolan Trust

easyJet will be collecting for bone marrow charity The Anthony Nolan Trust on flights this summer.

Collections will take place on all flights during August and September, with passengers encouraged to donate any loose change they may have.

The Anthony Nolan Trust is an independent charity that finds bone marrow donors for children and adults suffering from leukaemia, as well as conducting research into methods to make bone marrow transplants safer.

easyJet begins Glasgow International to Paris CDG route

easyJet is to launch a new flight between Glasgow International Airport and Paris Charles De Gaulle (CDG) this autumn.

Beginning on October 29, the no-frills carrier will operate flights with fares from £21.99 one-way (£45.01 return), including taxes.

"easyJet's new Paris flight will be the only direct link between Glasgow International Airport and Paris' main city airport, Charles de Gaulle, and the route is expected to be popular for business travellers as well as those looking for a few days of culture or a shopping trip away," said the airline's UK general manager, David Osborne.

easyJet adds Gdansk and Innsbruck to network

Low-cost airline easyJet is to add two new cities to its network of destinations available to UK travellers: Gdansk (Poland) and Innsbruck (Austria).

The carrier will further boost its central and eastern European network by expanding its services to Bucharest, the capital of Romania, and has also recently announced new services to Madeira, Lisbon and Krakow for the 2007/08 winter season.

A new daily London Gatwick to Gdansk service will begin on October 1, with fares starting at £24.99 one-way (including taxes).

easyJet to ground Belfast to Rome route

easyJet is to stop operating flights between Belfast and Rome (Ciampino) over the winter season.

The route, which was established in July 2005 with help from the Air Route Development Fund and has carried around 4,000 passengers a month since then, will not fly over the coming winter months.

An easyJet spokesman explained: "As airlines often change their schedules to meet seasonal demand, easyJet will not offer a Rome schedule this winter. Instead we will use the capacity on both our Geneva and our new Krakow route, on which there is more demand during the winter months."

Madeira makes debut on easyJet map

easyJet has announced a major expansion of its route network with the launch of seven new flights to destinations across Europe.

This autumn will see the addition of Madeira to the easyJet map, with new routes to currently served destinations such as Lisbon and Krakow also featuring, bringing the total number of easyJet routes to 307, across 80 airports in 22 countries.

Funchal, in the south east of Madeira, will be served by a daily flight from Stansted Airport, and from Bristol on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, with both routes starting on October 29.

Newcastle to Menorca easyJet connection takes flight

No-frills airline easyJet has begun twice weekly flights from Newcastle to Mahon in Menorca, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

On Wednesdays, flights leave Newcastle at 3pm and arrive in Menorca at 6.45pm. On the way back, flights leave Mahon at 7.25pm and get back to the UK at 9.20pm.

On Saturdays, flights leave Newcastle at 4.45pm, arriving at 8.30. Returning, flights leave at 9.05pm and get back to Newcastle at 11pm.

easyJet launches ski flights from Birmingham

Leading budget airline easyJet is to begin flights from Birmingham to ski gateway destinations Geneva and Grenoble this winter.

In what will be the airline's first service from the West Midlands airport, daily flights to Geneva will begin on December 14, with prices beginning at £22.99 one-way (£37.98 return), including taxes.

Twice weekly flights to Grenoble will begin on December 22 in time for the Christmas period, priced from £24.99 one-way (£48.01 return), including taxes.

easyJet launches Ibiza route from Northern Ireland

Low-cost airline easyJet inaugurated its Belfast to Ibiza route at the weekend, which will run for the duration of the summer.

The carrier now operates 20 routes from Northern Ireland and the latest addition is likely to be one of the most popular. Still one of Europe's most desirable summer holiday destinations, Ibiza, will this year host several major music festivals and tourism officials expect considerable interest from British holidaymakers.

With low fares available from £50.98 return, including taxes, easyJet's new route will run until September 8, when the summer party season eventually begins to die down.

easyJet puts winter tickets from London on sale

easyJet has begun selling winter flights from London Gatwick, Stansted and Luton. The low-cost airline put the winter schedule - which runs from October 28 until March 29, 2008 - on sale yesterday (Thursday, June 28).

easyJet flies to a host of UK and European destinations during the winter months, including Barcelona, Amsterdam and Naples.

Prices begin at £19.99 one-way (including taxes and charges) for domestic UK routes, and at £22.99 for European destinations.

EasyJetHolidays promises to redefine online bookings

Low-cost airline easyJet has launched a new website, www.easyJetHolidays.com, which allows travellers to quickly and easily match up flights to more than 10,000 hotels across Europe.

The site promises to cut through inconveniences such as inflexible flight departure times and fixed holiday durations to provide "the most flexible, customisable flight and hotel combinations, booked easily and conveniently in one place".

Passengers can use the interactive flight route map to find out exactly where easyJet flies to, and click on a city to bring up an easyJet city guide.

easyJet adds to its fleet

© easyJet

easyJet is to add 35 new aircraft to its fleet claiming they are the most environmentally efficient jets available. The low-cost operator also called for measures to penalise airlines that do not operate modern aircraft.

The airline will take delivery of the new Airbus A319 aircraft during 2011 and 2012. Andy Harrison, Chief Executive of easyJet, said: “This major new aircraft order supports our continuing growth and by 2012 we expect to have 229 aircraft and to carry in the region of 65 million passengers each year, making us one of Europe’s largest airlines.

"Our combination of a modern fleet, with an average age of 2.3 years, and high utilisation means that we emit nearly 27 per cent fewer emissions per passenger kilometre than traditional airlines flying similar routes."

EasyJet Gatwick to Palermo route takes flight

EasyJet has launched its new route between London Gatwick and Palermo in Sicily.

The daily flight took off for the first time today (June 18) and tickets are available at www.easyjet.com from £27.99 one-way (£49.98 return), including taxes.

From today (June 18) until October 1, flights will operate on Monday to Friday, leaving Gatwick at 4.40pm and arriving in Sicily at 8.40pm. On the ways back, flights leave Palermo at 9.05pm and touch down in London at 11.05pm.

EasyJet to launch Luton to Vienna flight

EasyJet is to launch a new route between London and Vienna this autumn.

A daily service between London Luton Airport and the Austrian capital will begin on October 29 and will be the airline's first route to the Alpine country.

Tickets, which are on sale now at www.easyjet.com, cost from £22.99 one-way (£42.98 return), including taxes. EasyJet expects the route to be popular with both city break and winter sports travellers.

EasyJet's blueprint for the ecoJet of the future

EasyJet has unveiled its thoughts and ideas on the aircraft of the future, featuring rear-mounted engines, ultra light weight materials and forward facing wings.

The easyJet ecoJet would comprise the latest research by airframe and engine manufacturers around the world, all of which can be incorporated into an aircraft that could be in operation by 2015.

To succeed easyJet says the aircraft would need to be 25 per cent quieter and would emit 50 per cent less CO2 and 75 per cent less NOx per passenger km than today’s newest aircraft.

easyJet online service to collect Spanish security details

Passengers on easyJet flights travelling to Spain can provide the additional security details now required for entry through the airline's website.

From Wednesday, June 13, travellers will need to submit so-called advance passenger information (API) which includes full given names, surnames, nationality, date of birth, and travel document number (eg. passport number).

easyJet has updated its website to take into account the changes and pre-booked passengers are asked to log-on to ‘My easyJet.com’ and add their travel document details.

EasyJet to introduce healthy Food Doctor snacks

Budget airline easyJet is set to introduce health snacks from The Food Doctor onboard all its flights from this week.

Get Set Bars, Original Seed Sachets and Soya Nuts will all be available so that travellers have healthier options available to them when they take flights with the orange-liveried carrier.

Currently easyJet - which makes a large portion of its money by selling ancillary services such as in-flight food - offers crisps, chocolate and pre-packed sandwiches.

EasyJet to begin Edinburgh to Paris flights

Low-cost airline easyJet has announced a new daily route from Edinburgh to Paris, to begin on September 10.

The airline will fly into the French capital's principal airport, Charles De Gaulle, and prices will begin at £27.99 one-way (£48.99 return), including tax.

On weekdays, flights will leave Scotland at 9.35am, arriving in Paris at 12.25pm. On the way back, flights will leave the French capital at 12.55pm and get back to Edinburgh at 1.45pm.

EasyJet starts Luton to Ibiza link

Low-cost airline easyJet began flying from London Luton to Ibiza last week.

The budget connection to the Balearic island, famous for its nightlife, will initially operate on Saturdays, rising to a daily service on May 18.

Outbound flights will leave in the evening between 7pm and 10.30pm, with the return flights departing in the early hours.

EasyJet unhappy with current carbon offset schemes

Low-cost airline easyJet will launch its own carbon offset scheme later this year, after saying it was not happy with deals offered by current providers.

The company said it thought the market for offsetting carbon emissions was full of "snake oil salesmen" who wanted to make excessive profits ahead of serving customers.

An easyJet spokesperson told The Guardian that it has decided to buy into schemes overseen by the UN, and then sell them back directly to those customers who want to reduce the impact of their travel plans on the environment.

easyJet urges Europe to ban old aircraft

Low-cost airline easyJet has called for aircraft built before 1990 to be banned from European skies to help cut carbon emissions.

The company has said that older aircraft are less fuel-efficient and, therefore, the most environmentally damaging, and says lessons should be learnt from the way the industry tackled noise pollution during the 1970s and 1980s.

Andy Harrison, easyJet chief executive, said: “Our proposal to limit the age of European aircraft to 22 years or younger would have a dramatic impact on Europe’s aviation emissions and would mirror the progress already made in noise reductions.

EasyJet cancels flights to/from France

A strike by French air traffic controllers is likely to cause disruption to passengers travelling to and from France today (April 12) and easyJet has been forced to cancel some flights.

The following return flight from the UK has been cancelled:

EZY2455 London Luton to Paris (Charles de Gaulle)
EZY2456 Paris (Charles de Gaulle) to London Luton

easyJet launches new Gatwick to Pisa route

EasyJet has launched a new route between Gatwick Airport and Pisa.

Operating daily, flights to the famous Italian city will cost from £24.99 one-way, including taxes (£42.98 return).

On weekdays, flights depart Gatwick at 2.10pm, touching down in Pisa at 5.20pm. On the way back, flights leave Italy at 5.45pm, arriving back in England at 6.55pm.

Fly Bristol to Warsaw with easyJet

EasyJet has announced a new route from Bristol to the Polish capital, Warsaw.

Beginning on October 2, flights will depart three times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Tickets are on sale now at www.easyjet.co.uk and cost from £49.98 return, including taxes.

The low-cost airline already operates flights to Warsaw from London Luton, and the route has proven popular with both business travellers and holidaymakers looking for a top city break destination.

New from easyJet: Newcastle to Krakow and Bristol to Bordeaux

EasyJet is getting ready to begin two new routes, Newcastle to Krakow and Bristol to Bordeaux.

Beginning on April 1, the low-cost airline will operate four weekly flights from Newcastle to the historic city of Krakow in southern Poland. Tickets cost from £13.99 one-way, excluding extra charges.

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, flights depart Newcastle at 4.35pm and arrive in Krakow at 8.10pm. On the way back, flights leave Krakow at 8.35pm and touch down in the UK at 10.15pm.

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