Low cost airline easyJet celebrates first birthday at Birmingham base

The company established a three-aircraft base at Birmingham in March 2024, a move it says created around 100 direct jobs for pilots and crew and over 1,200 more indirect jobs.  

Since Mar, easyJet says it has seen continued growth and operated its largest ever flying programme, flying over 1.6 million customers to and from Birmingham during its 2024 financial year, up 53% compared to the previous year.

Two additional Airbus A320 aircraft are due to arrive at the Birmingham hub this summer, with two new routes to popular island holiday destinations Gran Canaria and Malta set to take off in May and June, followed by a recently announced new route to Lanzarote which will launch in October.

“Since launching our new base at Birmingham Airport last March, the success we’ve seen has been a clear testament to the continued popularity of our flights and holidays, with customers choosing us for our trusted brand, unrivalled network and great value fares," said Ali Gayward, easyJet UK Country Manager.

“The growth of our fleet with two additional aircraft will not only support around 800 jobs but is enabling us to further unlock the opportunity of the continuing demand that we see for both leisure and business travel in the Midlands.

“We’re already capturing this opportunity with the launch of new routes this year, which will provide more customers with greater choice and connectivity, and we look forward to welcoming them on board.”

Package holiday provider easyJet holidays has also seen success with the new base, particularly for beach breaks, with Mallorca, Sharm El-Sheikh, Antalya and Tunisia leading the way.

The company says further demand from the region has bookings up by nearly a quarter.

“We are thrilled to mark the first anniversary of the launch of easyJet's base at Birmingham Airport," said Tom Screen, Aviation Director at Birmingham Airport.

"Following the establishment of a base last year, easyJet has seen phenomenal growth at Birmingham which has resulted in the introduction of a significant number of new routes that directly cater to our customer's needs. 

"The success of the base is testament to easyJet’s destinations and customer service levels, and we look forward to many more years of future success with easyJet.”