easyJet celebrates flying 55 million passengers from Bristol

[Aviador]

easyJet celebrates flying 55 million passengers from Bristol

easyJet, Europe’s leading airline, is today celebrating carrying 55 million passengers from Bristol Airport since launching operations there in 2002.

The airline now operates 74 routes and up to 740 flights a week out of Bristol - that’s 10% more flights compared to summer 2018 - making it the airline’s largest UK base outside of London.

In what is set to be an important summer of expansion for easyJet at the airport, the airline will base a 17th aircraft at Bristol and launches flights on five new routes to Rhodes in Greece, Montpellier and Biarritz, France as well as to Brindisi and Milan, Italy.

The airline has also recently added even more flights from Bristol to popular destinations such as Lyon, Zakynthos, Belfast, Glasgow and Paris Charles de Gaulle. Adding an additional daily flight to and from the French capital provides even more opportunity for customers to enjoy a city getaway or a great value day trip for commuters from businesses across the South West.

Ali Gayward, UK Country Manager for easyJet, commented:

“We are delighted to be celebrating flying over 55 million passengers from Bristol today, this is a fantastic milestone for us.

“Bristol is a key market for easyJet and we continue to be committed to sustainable growth at the airport.

“We have added a significant number of extra seats this summer which means we can continue to provide affordable, convenient connections for our customers whether they’re travelling for business or leisure.

“I have to thank our fantastic customers who travel to and from Bristol for their loyalty and support. We remain excited about the future at Bristol.”

Nigel Scott, Business Development Director for Bristol Airport, commented:

“We are incredibly proud of easyJet’s growth and it is a demonstration of the successful partnership between easyJet and Bristol Airport. This year easyJet will base seventeen Airbus aircraft, operating 71 routes from Bristol Airport providing over 600 jobs to easyJet employees on site. The network offers passengers in the region an extensive choice and flexibility of flights whilst choosing to use their local airport. This growth has been accomplished by passengers wishing to connect for business, visiting family and friends or enjoying a well-deserved holiday. We look forward to further development of the long standing relationship between both companies and extending the route network in the future.”

easyJet is now the largest airline at Bristol offering almost 6 million seats per year to some of the UK’s favourite destinations.

 

[Jerry]

That is very impressive!

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The airport and local travellers have much to thank the then CEO John Parkin and his team for responding so promptly and effectively when GoFly circulated details of their proposed second base via an agent, with the airline's identity kept secret.

Granted that without the make-up of the catchment any response would not have succeeeded, but the JP team made the best of their good hand.

When easyJet bought Go there was no certainty that the BRS base would continue, but it did and the result is clear for all to see.

Only speculation, but the thought sometimes pops up as to what sort of airport BRS would be now had it not attracted Go, and thus easyJet.

Probably safe to say it would not be handling nearly 9 mppa per year. What is sometimes overlooked though is that BRS was over the 2 mppa mark without any low-cost airline apart from the up-to 3 x daily Ryanair to Dublin.

Further speculation leads to what sort of airport BRS would now be if it had a bigger and better-connected site, longer runway and no Green Belt restrictions.

BRS certainly did supremely well to attract easyJet and then share in its phenomenal growth (for an airport of BRS's size), but there is the underlying concern that such reliance on one airline is always a potential future risk. easyJet's year-round airline load factor is usually matched, sometimes exceeded, each year at BRS. This means that in 2019 92% of the near six million seats available would equate to around 5.5 million passengers or, put another way, approaching 60% of the airport's annual passenger numbers.

 

[Jerry]

This means that in 2019 92% of the near six million seats available would equate to around 5.5 million passengers or, put another way, approaching 60% of the airport's annual passenger numbers.

But they do have a fabulous route network because of it and it seems that both the airline and the airport have a mutually beneficial partnership which no doubt is the envy of many other airports!