EasyJet to open airport base five years after exit

Airline EasyJet is to open a new base at Newcastle International Airport nearly five years after it left the site, creating new jobs.

The company said it would open a three-aircraft base at the airport in March 2026, with130 jobs created, including pilots, crew and engineers.

The budget airline previously closed three sites in Newcastle, Stansted and Southend in 2020, with the loss of 670 jobs.

Labour MP for Hexham and Newcastle Joe Morris said the airline's return to the region was a "vote of confidence in the North East" and its workforce.

"It's fantastic to see this significant investment coming to our constituency, bringing with it opportunities for skilled employment from pilots to engineers and onboard crew," he said.

"It also opens new doors for visitors to our area, allowing more people from across Europe to experience our world-class natural landscapes and rich history that make this region so special."

Newcastle Airport chief executive Nick Jones said the new airbase would create a "significant boost to the local economy by creating high-quality jobs and attracting more inbound visitors to the region".

"We already know the airport is a key economic driver for the North East, contributing more than £1bn in gross value added (GVA) each year," he said.

EasyJet currently offers flights and holidays on eight routes from Newcastle Airport, to destinations such as Malaga, Paris and Amsterdam, but the company said the new base would allow it to open a range of new routes.

EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis said the airline's return would make travel "easy for more customers in the North East and beyond".

"The UK is an important market for easyJet, and we are excited to be opening yet another UK base, in Newcastle, driven by the demand for our flights and package holidays," he said.

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