EasyJet has announced plans to open its ninth UK base next year.
Three A320 aircraft will be based at Birmingham airport from March 2024, with new as yet undisclosed routes also set to launch next year.
The carrier said that the move would create around 100 direct and 1,200 indirect jobs, in what is its first new base since the Covid-19 pandemic.
EasyJet currently flies from Birmingham to destinations including Amsterdam, Belfast International, Edinburgh, Faro, Geneva, Glasgow, Lisbon, Nantes, Naples and Palma de Mallorca, with a seasonal service to Milan Malpensa launching next month.
Birmingham will join the airline’s eight existing UK bases at London Gatwick, London Luton, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Belfast.
Nick Barton, chief executive of Birmingham Airport called the move “a huge vote of confidence in the West Midlands”, while Johan Lundgren, CEO of easyJet, said:
“We are delighted to be announcing our new base in Birmingham, the UK’s second largest city, which creates around 100 direct and many more indirect jobs.
“Having already served Birmingham for many years, the decision to open a base and grow at the airport now is testament to the strong demand we see, coupled with the importance of the UK market in supporting our profitable growth.
“The UK is easyJet’s largest market with 55 per cent of all easyJet passengers flying to and from UK airports so this move will not only reinforce our leadership position as the UK’s largest airline, but also demonstrates our confidence in the resilient strength of demand for travel, with customers choosing us for our trusted brand, unrivalled network and great value fares.”
