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easyJet announces expansion plans for Scotland

corporate.easyjet.com

24 February 2011

easyJet, Scotland’s favourite airline, today revealed major expansion plans for Scotland with a fifth aircraft for Edinburgh Airport. The new Airbus A320 will generate over 60 jobs and increase easyJet’s Edinburgh capacity by 300,000 seats a year.
easyJet is also to replace one of its four Glasgow aircraft with an 180-seat Airbus A320, the biggest in its fleet, enabling it to carry an additional 40,000 passengers per year. Today’s announcement, together with the new Aberdeen to London Gatwick route, means that easyJet will increase it’s capacity this summer to and from Scotland by nearly 9% year-on-year, equivalent to over three million seats.
In addition, easyJet is also announcing a new route to Athens – a first for Scotland as well as new routes to Grenoble and Tenerife from September
easyJet’s growth in Scotland:
Since the very first flight in 1995, easyJet has carried over 48 million passengers to and from Scotland
easyJet now carries more passengers than any other airline in Scotland
41 routes from Scotland
372 flights a week in summer
Over 300 flights a week between London and Scotland
Two million people fly into Scotland a year for business and leisure
Carolyn McCall, easyJet’s Chief Executive, said: “easyJet is delighted to announce these exciting expansion plans. easyJet is committed to Scotland and this additional capacity will benefit the business community and leisure travellers as well as bringing even more visitors to Scotland.”
First Minister Alex Salmond said:
“easyJet’s continued commitment to Scotland through increased investment will go even further in strengthening Edinburgh and Scotland’s economic position. The provision of a fifth plane for Edinburgh, a bigger aircraft in Glasgow and the opening up of these new routes will not only create 60 new jobs but will also contribute towards longer-term economic growth. I look forward to discussing the company’s plans for Scotland at a meeting with Carolyn McCall later today.”
Kevin Brown, Managing Director, Edinburgh Airport, said: “Today’s announcement is not only an investment in Edinburgh Airport, but in Edinburgh itself. It has consistently proven that it is a city in which people want to live, work and visit. We will continue to work with our airlines and the City to ensure that as many people as possible can do just that. More passengers pass through Edinburgh Airport with easyJet than any other and its pleasing that we’re able to develop Edinburgh together in partnership.”