easyJet celebrates record 2016 with more expansion to come at Bristol Airport in 2017
Created: 15th Mar 2017
easyJet, Bristol’s largest airline and the largest UK base outside of London, flew more than four million passengers during the course of 2016 - an 11% increase on the previous year, up a third on five years ago.
- Largest airline in Bristol Airport and the number of seats available up 39% over past five years
- More than 4.2m passengers carried in 2016, an increase of over 400,000 passengers from 2015.
- Airline carries over two-million business passengers in the southwest
Two million of easyJet's passengers were travelling for business. Since easyJet’s operations began out of Bristol in 2002, a massive 45 million passengers have travelled to and from the airport with easyJet.
Additionally, from the summer of 2017, the airline will position a further aircraft in Bristol, creating new jobs locally.
As well as adding new routes, easyJet now offers direct flights to all the main Canary Islands during winter and keeps the south west well connected to Europe’s key cities like Bilbao, Pisa, Barcelona and Bordeaux which now operate all year-round.
Ali Gayward, Commercial Manager for easyJet, commented:
“We have seen increasing demand year on year at Bristol airport and, as the Airport’s largest airline, we fly more than 4.2m passengers annually and offer an unrivalled network of over 62 routes.
“In FY17 we will offer over 4.86 million seats – a 6.7% increase over 2016 and remain committed to growing in Bristol. easyJet will continue to ensure it is easy and affordable for people, flying to and from Bristol to have direct air links to as many European destinations as possible.”
Pete Downes, Head of Aviation at Bristol Airport said:
“We are delighted with the continued growth of easyJet at Bristol Airport. During a three year timescale, easyJet have launched sixteen new routes from Bristol Airport offering passengers choice and flexibility of an enhanced route network plus a wider range of leisure destinations. The on-going route development demonstrates the strong partnership between easyJet and Bristol Airport which reduces the need for passengers from the South West and Wales region to travel further afield, whether for business, leisure or inbound tourism.”
easyJet operates up to 638 flights in and out of Bristol Airport per week and now flies over four million passengers to 62 airports in 18 countries from Bristol.