New easyJet Destinations

easyJet’s takeover of GB Airways has led to as many as 21 new destinations now being available. The low-cost airline will take over 32 of GB Airways’ routes; 11 of these are already served by easyjet. In a list that reads like a whose who of overseas property resorts, the airlines new management of these routes abroad should bring a welcome boost to local property markets.

The takeover brings easyjet’s routes from Gatwick airport to 66, and adds a further eight welcome routes to the airline’s Manchester operation, including flights to Crete, Malta, Cyprus and Tenerife. The budget carrier claims the move will make it the biggest airline operating in the North West of the UK, carrying over four million passengers a year on around 40 routes in three years time. The expansion into Manchester will see easyJet add three aircraft by 2010 to the two GB Airways aircraft already based there. The expansion means that by 2010, easyJet will have 15 aircraft operating through the two principal airports in the North West, giving it access to a catchment area of some eight million people within a 60-minute drive. Among the winter sun destinations easyjet will be flying to from London Gatwick are Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt, the Canary Islands off the coast of Spain, the Greek islands, Malta, Cyprus and Dalaman in Turkey.

GB Airways will continue to operate all routes under the British Airways brand until March 29th, at which point all customers who have booked to travel with GB Airways this summer will be given the choice of flying with easyjet at the same times or else receive a refund. Other new destinations from Gatwick for the airline include Ajaccio and Bastia in Corsica, Montpellier and Nantes in southern and western France respectively, Gibraltar and for a limited time Hurghada in Egypt.