easyJet becomes UK’s largest carrier to Portugal this winter after launching new routes

With 21 new routes and frequencies being launched from Lisbon, easyJet will become the UK’s largest carrier to Portugal this winter.

Following the allocation of 18 new daily slots at Lisbon airport by the European Commission, easyJet announced on Wednesday, July 27, that it will base three additional Airbus A321neo, the company’s biggest aircraft, at its base in Lisbon. This will enable the airline to launch 21 new routes and increase frequencies to eight countries, including a new twice-weekly winter service from Birmingham to Lisbon.

Flights will be available for sale from August 15.  Moreover, the neo aircraft will contribute to making easyJet’s operations more sustainable, reducing fuel consumption by 15 per cent, and noise during take-off and landing by 50 per cent.

Thanks to this investment easyJet will become the number two airline at Lisbon airport, with a network of 32 routes – 30 international, and two domestic. This coming winter, easyJet will be the number one carrier between the UK and Portugal.

Jose Lopes, easyJet Country Manager for Portugal, commented: “We are extremely glad to unveil part of easyJet’s new network at Lisbon airport that will start operating later in 2022 and which will turn easyJet into the second largest carrier operating at Lisbon airport. We are particularly happy to be bringing the A321 neo to Lisbon which will contribute to making our operations more sustainable”.

He continued: “Despite the challenging external environment, we’ve never stopped investing in Portugal in the last two years, opening a new base in Faro in 2021, and continuously launching new routes from both Lisbon and Porto throughout the period”.

“By the end of the year, we will have 19 aircraft based in Portugal which will enable us to carry more than 10 million passengers every year, contributing significantly to the connectivity of the country and playing a key role in supporting the national economy”, Mr Lopes added.

Overall, easyJet will make 1,75 million seats available for sale this winter season to and from Lisbon, a 61 per cent increase compared to last year. From the start of the winter season, easyJet will have a total of 19 aircraft based in Portugal, with a network of more than 80 routes to and from the country, and expects to carry 10.3 million passengers annually.  

In the last 26 years, easyJet has carried around 69 million passengers to and from Portugal. Compared to pre-pandemic levels easyJet’s capacity has grown 51 per cent in Portugal: +61 per cent in Lisbon, +69 per cent in Oporto, +2 per cent in Faro, and +66 per cent in Funchal and also started to operate into Porto Santo.

In addition, this investment will create around 130 direct jobs in Portugal, where the airline currently employs more than 500 people.

For more information, contact the easyJet Press Office on 01582 525252, or log onto: www.easyJet.com.

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