Easyjet will open new bases in Barcelona and Venice next year.
The budget carrier will also expand its bases at Milan Malpensa and Naples and reduce services at Rome Fiumicino airport.
The airline's Barcelona base will open in February, with three Airbus aircraft based there, with the base at Venice Marco Polo airport following suit in April with four Airbus aircraft.
Milan Malpensa is Easyjet's second largest base, with 18 aircraft currently — from April, a further three jets will be based there. The same month a fourth aircraft will join the three currently at Naples.
Easyjet will no longer base aircraft and crew at Rome Fiumicino from April. It blames its decision on "high airport passengers charges, which have more than doubled since 2012" and low levels of punctuality and customer satisfaction.
CEO Carolyn McCall said: "Easyjet has grown steadily in Italy in recent years in terms of investment and jobs and will base 29 aircraft in the country next year, employing over 1000 pilots, cabin crew and other staff and supporting thousands more direct and indirect jobs."
Frances Ouseley, Easyjet's Italy director, added: "Easyjet will base 29 aircraft in Italy next year and plans to carry over 15 million passengers on the country's best European network serving over 170 routes."
Earlier this month, McCall warned there is no "economic reason" to build a second runway at London Gatwick and renewed her support for an extra runway at Heathrow (see news, June 8).
Graham Smith
