London Southend Airport: Bosses talking to EasyJet over base return

A UK airport that took a "hammering" during the pandemic said it was talking to easyJet about reviving the airline's base at the terminal.

Passenger numbers dropped more than 90% at London Southend Airport following the first Covid-19 lockdown.

However it announced on Tuesday that easyJet would fly to Amsterdam again from May.

The airport's commercial director said it was in "active talks" about the airline's base also returning.

"[This announcement] is an absolute demonstration of our recovery and that strong relationship with EasyJet," said Caroline Fitzgerald, speaking to BBC Essex.

"It's a case of supply and demand and as soon as easyJet is in that position, to restart with a base at Southend, then I'm sure it will.

"Of course we would welcome it tomorrow, but things will take a little longer. The industry is still coming off the back of the pandemic."

Southend's three main carriers, Ryanair, Wizz Air and easyJet, all pulled out of the airport during the pandemic.

Passenger numbers fell from 2.15 million in 2019-20, to 147,000 in 2020-21, and for a period, there were no passenger flights whatsoever.

The airport's business development director said the firm took "a hammering".

EasyJet reopened routes to Faro, Malaga and Palma last year, and from 24 May 2023, it was expected to operate up to four flights per week to Amsterdam.

The company also unveiled new routes on Tuesday from London Gatwick, London Luton, Bristol, Manchester, Belfast, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

An airline base typically means the company keeps fleet and staff based at the location permanently throughout the year.

An easyJet spokesman said there were no "current" plans to reopen a Southend base.

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