easyJet collaborates with RTX to enhance operations

The low-cost carrier becomes the largest A320 operator to roll out Collins GlobalConnect

Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, is working with easyJet to activate GlobalConnectSM connected aircraft services on more than 330 Airbus aircraft in its fleet. easyJet will become the largest A320 operator in the world to deploy GlobalConnect. This new capability enhances safety oversight, pilot training and operational efficiencies.

The Collins GlobalConnect solution enables the already-installed Flight Operations and Maintenance Exchanger system (FOMAX), jointly developed with Airbus, to provide easyJet valuable insights into its fleet operations, enabling proactive decision-making and more efficient airline operations.

The adoption of this data exchange and analytics capability also brings the potential to simplify the avionics architecture, leading to further fuel efficiency gains through the gradual removal of quick access recorders. The airline projects that cutting this additional weight could save up to 500 tonnes of carbon per year when rolled out fleet-wide.

Holidays are more important for UK travellers new survey finds.

Research by easyJet conducted with 2000 UK consumers this month (November 2023) showed that over two thirds (67%) are more likely to travel abroad in 2024 than they did in 2023

Protecting holiday spend remains a priority for over three quarters of Brits (77%)  –  up from 70% last year, with the majority even more likely to put money aside for a holiday in 2024 than 2023

In order to save money on holidays in 2024, around 70% of people have said they are more likely to book via a low-cost airline with 72% of people planning a holiday next year choosing to fly to Europe rather than further afield

A survey conducted by easyJet of 2000 UK consumers this month has shown that over two-thirds (67%) have said they are more likely to travel abroad in 2024 than in 2023. 

Protecting holiday spend remains a priority for most with over three quarters (77%) saying they will prioritise spending money on a holiday over anything else in their yearly budget –  up from 70% last year.

The majority of people (70%) have said they are more likely to put money aside for a holiday in 2024 than in 2023 and 73% plan to spend the same or more on their holidays, while over three-quarters (76%) of respondents said they still plan to go on the same number of holidays or more than usual.

To prioritise their holiday, people will be cutting back on other discretionary spend, with over half reducing their spend on eating out (54%), 40% cutting back on new clothes and shoes and 38% opting not to pay for a new car or home upgrades to be able to get away.

easyJet's sale for Black Friday lasts all week....

Europe’s leading airline easyJet and easyJet holidays have today launched their week-long Black Friday offer which will give customers the chance to bag a bargain break for this winter.

The airline is offering 100,000 seats for under £20 on flights across its unrivalled European network, for flights departing between 11th December 2023 and 31 March 2024.

easyJet holidays are also offering a Black Friday promotion, saving up to £200 on all beach destinations and city breaks with code BLACKFRIDAY, on holidays up to 31 October 2025 with a minimum spend of £2000 saving £200 and £100 saving on £800.

All easyJet holiday packages include flights, hotel, 23kg luggage and transfers on beach holidays, all covered by its Ultimate Flexibility, offering freedom to change a booking, a refund guarantee, and best price guarantee. 

Discounted flights and holidays are available to book from today until 11pm on Monday 27 November.

Ali Gayward, easyJet’s country manager said:  “We’re delighted to be launching a week-long Black Friday sale on flights and holidays today which will give customers the chance to book a great value holiday this winter. Our unrivalled network means customers have plenty of choice whether they’re looking for winter sun or to hit the slopes.”

Seats for under £20 are now available across thousands of flights, including:

London Gatwick to Bordeaux, Copenhagen, Toulouse and Turin

London Luton to Barcelona, Milan, Nice and Zurich

Bristol to Madrid, Milan, Porto and Rovaniemi

Manchester to Agadir, Basel, Funchal and Pisa

Liverpool to Amsterdam, Majorca and Salzburg

Edinburgh to Alicante, Lisbon and Paphos

Glasgow to Barcelona, Berlin, Faro and Geneva

Belfast to Paris, Faro, Geneva and Lyon

easyJet becomes Europe’s first low-cost airline to offer bag collection, delivery, and door-to-door services

Europe’s leading airline easyJet has launched a new luggage collection, delivery and door-to-door service in partnership with baggage collection and delivery specialist, Airportr, providing passengers travelling from London Gatwick and Geneva the option to check in their luggage from home, skip bag drop on departure and breeze past baggage collection on arrival.

The airline has partnered with Airportr to introduce this new choice to help make travel even easier, following research that showed 40% of easyJet customers would be interested these services when they travel to and from their flight.

The airline will initially offer three services for customers at London Gatwick and Geneva airports:

 

1. Departure: customers flying from London Gatwick or Geneva can now check in their bags from a designated pick-up point like your home office or hotel, which will be collected by an accredited driver and then collected from the baggage belt on arrival at their destination.
2. Arrival: Customers arriving into Geneva from any easyJet airport can book for a delivery of their bags to their final destination, like their home or hotel.
3. Door-to-door: customers flying from London Gatwick to Geneva can book a door-to-door service – a totally seamless luggage experience that means customers can check in their bags from home and sees them delivered to their final destination.

 

easyJet also becomes the first airline to include the service in a bundle fare, meaning FLEXI fare customers flying from London Gatwick and Geneva have the service included in their booking.

 

The services are available for flights to any of easyJet’s destinations across Europe from the airline’s biggest UK base London Gatwick, and from Switzerland’s largest airport, Gevena, from just £37 at www.airportr.com/en/easyjet. The first 300 customers will receive 30% off their booking by using the code 30OFFAIRPORTRLAUNCH

Sophie Dekkers, Chief Commercial Officer at easyJet, commented:  “We are always looking at how we can innovate with the products and services we offer to ensure we are providing more of the choices our customers want, so we are excited to be introducing Airportr’s services initially from London Gatwick and Geneva, to help make travel even easier for our customers, whether they are flying for business or leisure.”

Randel Darby, CEO of Airportr, said:   "Today’s announcement that we’re launching Airportr across two of easyJet’s top tier airports marks another significant step forward for off-airport baggage management. Travelers continue to prioritize speed and convenience and are increasingly turning to off-airport processes to achieve it. As an airline, easyJet is committed to getting their customers through the airport faster, whilst delivering the best experience when travelling with baggage. We’re delighted that Airportr can support easyJet on this mission, with bag-free travel now possible to, through and from airports.

 

Since 2016, Airportr have collected over 250,000 bags and sports equipment which have been checked-in and delivered to hundreds of destination airport baggage reclaims around the world. easyJet is confident this new service will prove popular to customers. Since starting up, 8,100 customers have given Airportr a 4 or 5-star rating, and 9.6/10 customers are likely to recommend the service to others.

The new baggage collection and delivery service further builds on easyJet’s recent customer initiatives to make it easier for customers when flying with the airlines including the introduction of Twilight Bag Drop, available at London Gatwick, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Berlin and Amsterdam which means customers on early flights can drop their bags off the night before.

 

easyJet puts 12 new routes from 8 UK airports on sale for summer 2024

One of Europe's leading low-cost airlines, easyJet, has announced it will be launching twelve new routes from eight UK airports, including three routes to Alicante in Spain and Enfidha in Tunisia, as well as flights returning to Reus in Spain The UK’s fastest growing tour operator, easyJet holidays, has also launched brilliant package holidays at unbeatable prices on the brand new routes, including its first ever beach destinations from Southampton.

Two brand new routes to Spain’s coastal city Alicante will launch from Southampton on 31 March and Belfast City on 2 May as well as relaunching from Newcastle to Alicante on 2 April 2024. The three routes will operate throughout summer with Southampton to Alicante scheduled once a week on a Sunday, Newcastle to Alicante twice a week on Tuesday and Saturday, and Belfast City to Alicante twice a week on Thursday and Sunday.

Whether holidaymakers want to explore the culture of Alicante City or relax on the white beaches of Costa Blanca, easyJet Holidays has a huge range of hotels to choose from. From family-friendly resorts to luxury All Inclusive, there’s something for everyone.

easyJet will also restart flights from Luton to Reus in Spain as well as launch a new route from Manchester, both will start on 2 April and operate twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays throughout the summer. The home town of Spain’s famous architect Gaudí, Reus is dotted with beautiful buildings,  great food, culture and history, perfect for a city or beach break on the Costa Dorada. 

easyJet celebrates new flights from Southampton to Belfast and Glasgow

New easyJet flights from Southampton Airport to Belfast International took off on Sunday for the first time and were followed by new flights to Glasgow which took off on Thursday afternoon 

The service to Belfast is now operating three times a week and to Glasgow twice a week throughout the year

easyJet, Europe’s leading airline, has this week launched the first flights on two new year-round routes from Southampton Airport. Flights to Belfast International and to Glasgow took off this week for the first time, providing customers in the South of England with even greater connectivity to key hubs in Northern Ireland and Scotland, for leisure and business travellers alike.

The first flight from Southampton to Belfast International took off for the first time on Sunday 29 October and is now departing up to three times a week on Mondays, Fridays and Sundays. The new route to Glasgow took off from Southampton on Thursday 2 November and will operate twice weekly on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Both new routes are year-round and will provide stronger domestic connectivity from the South West to these key cities across the UK whether customers are looking for a city break, a convenient business connection or to explore Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Ali Gayward, easyJet’s UK Country Manager, said:  "We are delighted to have launched our new services from Southampton to Belfast International and Glasgow, which will provide our customers in the South of England with direct and convenient departures to Northern Ireland and Scotland, making it easier for people to visit more of the fantastic destinations the UK has to offer for leisure or business."

Mark Beveridge, Operations Director at Southampton Airport, said:  “We are really pleased to welcome easyJet’s first services to Glasgow and Belfast International. 

Following the recent completion of the runway extension, we are working hard and speaking regularly with our airline partners to deliver the routes and services the people of Southampton and the wider region deserve.”

easyJet relaunches assisted travel advisory board and welcomes new members

easyJet’s Assisted Travel Advisory Board (EATAB), formerly known as the easyJet Special Assistance Advisory Group (ESAAG), has relaunched and welcomed new members to the Board.

easyJet established the group in 2012 to provide independent guidance and strategic advice on the evolving needs of passengers requiring special assistance and directly contributing to ongoing improvements for customers, for example the introduction of easyJet’s onboard cabin aisle wheelchair. 

The independent advisory group is chaired by former Cabinet Minister, now Member of the House of Lords, David Blunkett.

New members of the board are Josh Wintersgill, a British entrepreneur, aspiring Paralympian and inventor of the easyTravelseat which enables wheelchair users to transfer with more safety, dignity and comfort in and out of their wheelchairs to an aircraft seat; and Emily Yates, an accessibility consultant and broadcaster who advises on disability issues.

Both Josh and Emily use their lived experience as wheelchair users to change the way businesses perceive disability for the better. They join long-standing board members Roberto Castiglioni MBE, an aviation accessibility policy expert and Ann Frye, an international specialist in meeting the transport needs of a diverse range of travellers requiring assistance.

The work of EATAB supports easyJet’s mission of making travel easy for everyone whatever their needs, from the moment a passenger books to when they complete their journey, in partnership with airports and their special assistance providers.

David Blunkett, EATAB Chair, former Cabinet Minister and Member of the House of Lords said:

“I am pleased to chair the reconstitution of the Advisory Board, welcome the new members who will provide invaluable advice and have the continued support of the easyJet team and its leadership. The Board’s members will work hard to help to continue to transform the passenger experience, and support the airline in its commitment to bring about continuous improvement.”

easyJet completes multi-million-pound tech installation - Descent Profile Optimisation

The new installation will save 88,600 tonnes of CO2 each year

All easyJet aircraft are now fully operating with Descent Profile Optimisation (DPO) and Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) software – state-of-the-art new software that significantly reduces carbon emissions and fuel costs

The fleetwide investment is enabling the airline to make a permanent fuel saving of up to 1% or 88,600 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually – equivalent to driving a car around the world 16,100 times.

The completion of the retrofit programme now means that the airline is the largest operator in the world with DPO and CDA capability.

easyJet has announced the completion of its fleetwide retrofit, which has seen Airbus’ Descent Profile Optimisation (DPO) state-of-the-art technology now fitted on all of its aircraft, alongside Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) for compatible, newer aircraft in the easyJet fleet.

Descent Profile Optimisation (DPO) is a fuel-saving initiative which updates the Flight Management System (FMS) to enable consistently more efficient descents by allowing the aircraft to remain in the cruise phase longer and removing the ‘level-off’ stage at the bottom of the descent, which reduces carbon emissions. While Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) works in tandem with DPO to reduce noise. 

The multi-million-pound retrofit programme, announced last year, is an integral part of the airline’s roadmap to reach net-zero by 2050. It will help easyJet achieve considerable and permanent carbon emission reductions in the short-term by enabling more optimised descent trajectories.

As well as saving on fuel burn and ultimately enabling carbon reductions – Descent Profile Optimisation (DPO) which is complementary to Continuous Descent Approach (CDA)* will also help in minimising noise which not only benefits the airline and its customers but also the airports and surrounding communities as a result of tighter noise regulations that are starting to be enforced.

Commenting on the completion of the DPO and CDA retrofit programme, Captain David Morgan, Chief Operating Officer at easyJet said:

“While this is one initiative of many outlined in our roadmap to net-zero, it provides a permanent CO2 saving and forms another step on the way to us realising our net-zero target.

easyJet first to commit to Airbus' carbon-removal initiative

easyJet has become the first airline in the world to sign a contract with Airbus for its carbon-removal initiative. Available through the Airbus Carbon Capture Offer, the technology uses Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS), to offer airlines worldwide carbon removal credits to advance their decarbonisation goals.

DACCS technology filters and removes CO2 emissions directly from the air using high powered extraction fans. Once removed from the air, the CO2 is safely and permanently stored in underground reservoirs. CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere during aircraft operations cannot be directly eliminated at source but with DACCS, an equivalent amount can be extracted from the air. The technology is complementary to other carbon reduction technologies such as the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

Thomas Haagensen, Group Markets Director at easyJet, said: “Decarbonising a hard to abate sector, such as aviation, is a huge challenge and we believe carbon removal will play an important role in addressing our residual emissions in the future, complementing other components to help us achieve our pathway to net zero. Our ultimate aim is to achieve zero carbon emission flying and, as well as investing into important projects like direct air carbon capture technology, we are working with multiple partners – including Airbus – to accelerate the development of zero carbon emission aircraft technology.”

Northern Ireland’s largest airline easyJet has celebrated 25 years of flying passengers to and from Belfast International Airport

easyJet, Europe’s leading airline and the largest airline in Northern Ireland is celebrating 25 years of flying passengers to and from Belfast International Airport.

To mark the occasion the airline surprised passengers flying today from Belfast International with giveaways throughout the day including free easyJet return flights. Other celebrations, including cake giveaways, happened at the airport throughout the morning.

Since easyJet’s very first flight from Belfast to London Luton a quarter of a century ago, the airline has gone from strength to strength flying over 70 million passengers in that time with over 4.5 million flown in last year. This year easyJet welcomed its eighth Airbus A320 family aircraft to the base, the most since operations began, demonstrating the airline’s long-term commitment to Northern Ireland and operated its largest flying programme from Belfast International with 9.4% more capacity than pre-pandemic, flying 3.2 million seats to and from Belfast International. 

In the past year, the airline’s network has gone from strength to strength, adding four new routes to Antalya in Turkey, Rhodes in Greece, Southampton and most recently Hurghada, providing connections between Belfast and Egypt for the first time.

Flights to Hurghada are set to launch on 31 October with weekly departures throughout the year. Flights to Southampton from Belfast International are set to launch on 29 October with departures up to three times a week, further strengthening domestic connectivity between the regions. 

easyJet now offers more capacity from Belfast to Spain and Portugal than any other airline and links Belfast International with more London airports than any other airline, providing over 90 flights a week from Belfast International.

Ali Gayward, easyJet UK country manager, commented:  ”For over two decades, we are proud to have  served  millions of customers flying from Belfast International, where we have grown to become the largest airline not just as the airport but in Northern Ireland, with customers choosing us for our unrivalled network, fantastic service and great value fares.

And our continued success at Belfast International is testament to the strong demand we see for travel, coupled with the importance of the UK market in supporting our profitable growth.

I have to thank our fantastic customers who have travelled from Belfast International Airport with us over the past 25 years for their loyalty and support as well as our dedicated  team in Belfast for their hard work and commitment. We can’t wait to see where the next 25 years takes us.”

Graham Keddie, Managing Director, Belfast International Airport, said:  “easyJet revolutionised air travel when they arrived at Belfast international Airport 25 years ago.  They have become an integral part of the airport’s growth in that time, bringing unrivalled connectivity, significant investment and providing employment to hundreds of people.  We are incredibly proud to stand alongside them today to celebrate this fantastic milestone.  We look forward to the launch of new routes later this month to both Hurghada and Southampton and also to working alongside them on further developments.”

Last month the airline put on sale its summer 2024 schedule on sale today meaning millions of seats across 155,000 easyJet flights between 3 June 2024 and 1 September 2024 including thousands of flights to and from Belfast International are now available, so customers have the opportunity to book early and get the best fares for next summer.

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easyJet is bringing its Fearless Flyer course back for winter......

easyJet is bringing its Fearless Flyer course back for winter, to help nervous flyers take control and overcome their fears. With courses starting from 1st October and taking place in Bristol, London Luton, Manchester, Glasgow, London Gatwick and Belfast as well as returning to London Stansted for the first time since 2020, customers have a choice of seven airports across the UK to book their experience flight.

Since 2012 more than 11,000 phobics have taken to the skies after successfully completing the Fearless Flyer course, with the programme achieving over 95% success rate and in March this year, easyJet celebrated its 150th course milestone.

Fearless Flyer continues to be one of the best-priced aerophobia courses in the UK, starting at just £89 per person and the winter schedule provides options across the UK with dates in October and November this year and February next year.

Featuring a virtual element of the programme that was introduced last year, easyJet’s Fearless Flyer course is divided into three main parts:

A virtual ground course, where top phobia expert Lawrence Leyton and a senior easyJet captain will explain the unfamiliar sounds and sensations customers feel onboard an aircraft and teach them a unique set of mind techniques to manage their nerves. This session lasts approximately two and a half hours. 

A pre-flight one-hour ‘Meet the Team’ online Zoom session, where participants will be walked through the airport experience and what to expect. There will also be a participant Q&A session where phobia expert Lawrence Leyton and an easyJet pilot will answer any last-minute questions.

And lastly, a special one-hour experience flight from the course airport, where customers put their new skills to the test whilst listening to a live commentary of the flight from the Fearless Flyer team.

In addition to the standard course, a VIP course is also on offer at London Luton and Manchester which includes extra exclusive benefits including a dedicated Captain who will guide you through the experience flight day, a pre-flight private video call with a pilot and the Fearless Flyer team, VIP check-in process, security and boarding for the experience flight, guaranteed upfront seats, and lifetime access to additional course materials.

A limited number of spaces on the courses are now available at fearlessflyer.easyjet.com 

Captain Chris Foster, Fearless Flyer Lead Pilot at easyJet, said:  “We’re delighted to be relaunching our renowned Fearless Flyer course for this coming winter with courses now available to book across the UK.

easyJet and Rolls-Royce hydrogen research project marks key milestone success

Rolls-Royce announced this week a further key milestone, a world industry first, has been achieved in its hydrogen research project.

Both Rolls-Royce and its partner easyJet are committed to being at the forefront of the development of hydrogen combustion engine technology capable of powering a range of aircraft, including those in the narrow-body market segment, from the mid-2030s onwards.

Now, working with Loughborough University in the UK and the German Aerospace Centre Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt (DLR), Rolls-Royce has proven a critical engine technology that marks another significant step in the journey to enabling hydrogen  as an aviation fuel.

Tests on a full annular combustor of a Pearl 700 engine at DLR in Cologne running on 100% hydrogen have proven the fuel can be combusted at conditions that represent maximum take-off thrust.

Key to that achievement has been the successful design of advanced fuel spray nozzles to control the combustion process. This involved overcoming significant engineering challenges as hydrogen burns far hotter and more rapidly than kerosene. The new nozzles were able to control the flame position using a new system that progressively mixes air with the hydrogen to manage the fuel’s reactivity. Rolls-Royce is pleased to confirm that combustor operability and emissions were both in line with expectations.

The individual nozzles were initially tested at intermediate pressure at Loughborough’s recently upgraded test facilities and at DLR Cologne before the final full-pressure combustor tests took place at DLR Cologne.

Last year, easyJet and Rolls-Royce also set a world first by successfully running a modern aero engine, an AE2100, on green hydrogen at Boscombe Down, UK.

Career changers welcome......at easyJet

An opera singer, a former chef and an ex-radio presenter are the stars of a new recruitment campaign from easyJet

The campaign aims to show that anyone with the right skills from all walks of life can become cabin crew

An opera singer, a former chef and an ex-radio presenter are the stars of a new easyJet cabin crew recruitment campaign, which aims to tackle stereotypes about the profession.

The airline is looking to recruit over 1,000 new cabin crew this year with career changers among those being encouraged to apply.  The campaign highlights that life experience and transferable skills, such as customer service, communication, teamwork and people management, make many ideal candidates for the role.

A former dental nurse, optician and Paris police officer also feature in the campaign.

The initiative follows on from easyJet’s work last year encouraging people over 45 to consider a career as cabin crew, and since then the number of over-45s flying with easyJet as crew has increased by 28%.

The new campaign, featuring multi-talented easyJetters who started off in different careers, aims to showcase the potential for anyone to turn their skills and passions towards becoming cabin crew.  

New research finds that 75% of Brits believe there is still a misconception that being cabin crew is a role for women

Over three quarters (76%) surveyed believe being cabin crew is only for those aged 18 to 25 years

As part of the recruitment drive, easyJet polled 2,000 British adults about the job, which revealed that there are still widely held misconceptions about the role.

Research from the airline found that 75% of Brits believe there is still a misconception that cabin crew is typically a role for women. As a result, 4 in 10 (43%) British men say they would not consider doing the job because of the traditional gender stereotypes around the role.

New easyJet route from Bournemouth to Lyon

easyJet has announced it will launch a new winter route between Bournemouth airport to Lyon in France from 13th January 2024.

The weekly flights will operate on Saturday until 24th February 2024, perfect for week-long trips during the ski season and over schools’ half-term break. Complementing easyJet’s existing winter route from Bournemouth to Geneva which started in December 2021, the new route to Lyon will offer customers in southern England with another gateway to the Alps with the airport being a short journey from popular ski resorts including Tignes, Val d'Isère, Alpe d'Huez, Les 2 Alpes, Val Thorens and La Plagne.

On the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers, Lyon is the third-largest city of France and is also known for its world-renowned food and architecture, with its four historic districts listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Ali Gayward, easyJet’s UK Country Manager, said:  “We are really pleased to be announcing a second winter route from Bournemouth to Lyon today, providing more choice for our customers in the South who are looking to visit the Alps region whether that’s for skiing and other winter sports, or a city break to enjoy Lyon’s impressive architecture, cuisine and history.

With flights on sale today, now is a great time to book early to get the best fares and we can’t wait to welcome more customers.”

Steve Gill, managing director at Bournemouth Airport, said:  “This is great news for passengers and offers them even more choice from their local airport. Winter routes are increasingly popular from Bournemouth and Lyon provides even more connectivity to the Alps this winter.”

Hoff the beaten track......things for the bucket list....

An Air Guitar Championship, Stockholm zombie walk and museum dedicated to The Hoff have ranked within top 25 quirky cultural experiences in Europe.

The new bucket list was compiled by easyJet alongside top travel experts and ranked by the British public. It comes as research finds 89% of travellers said they’re looking for more adventurous and experiential holidays post-pandemic.  76% that said they’re now more fearless when it comes to travel.

Festival of The Giant Omelette in France, Sedlec Ossuary bone church in Prague and Starkenberger Beer Pools in Austria, have been revealed as the top must-do cultural experiences in Europe.

Bob-sleighing around a scenic track in Prague, a charity Zombie walk through the streets of Stockholm, Sweden and a museum devoted entirely to actor David Hasselhoff in Germany also featured highly in a new bucket list compiled by travel experts and voted for by the British public.

The new study of 2,000 British holidaymakers, by airline easyJet, has revealed a   new ‘‘bucket list’ of lesser known, must-see and do experiences that can be found across the continent, as 89% of travellers say they are looking for more adventurous and experiential holidays.

Festival of The Giant Omelette in Toulouse (France), a celebration of the legend that Napoleon’s army once feasted on an omelette in the host village, topped the poll. Today, crowds can gather to watch the giant omelette of 1,500 eggs being made.

Voted for in second place was the Sedlec Ossuary, near Prague, Czechia. The 13th century monastery which is decorated with over 40,000 human bones.

The top 25 quirky cultural bucket list as voted for by British holidaymakers:

Four new winter routes from easyJet

easyJet will be launching four new winter routes from three UK airports....  

Two brand new routes from London Stansted to Geneva and Zurich in Switzerland with both scheduled to start on 16th December, operate twice a week throughout winter.

A new route from London Southend airport to Grenoble

Starting on 14th January and operating once a week.  

A new route from Birmingham to Salzburg in Austria.

Starting 13th January with a weekly flight.

easyJet’s opening of a new base at Birmingham in March 2024 with the addition of three aircraft at the airport has enabled the airline to further expand its Birmingham network to 29 routes, including the latest addition of Salzburg, to serve both leisure and business travellers flying from the UK’s second largest city.

The airline has already put 19 new routes from the UK on sale for this winter, including flights to Cairo in Egypt for the very first time, Akuyeri in Iceland providing the only direct route from the UK, and new routes to Rovaniemi, Finland from two UK airports for a family favourite Christmas Lapland getaway.

Ali Gayward, easyJet's UK Country Manager, commented:  “We’re delighted to be launching even more new routes and holidays from our airports across the UK to a range of fantastic destinations, providing even more choice for our customers this winter who are looking to visit the Alps region whether that’s for skiing and other winter sports, or soaking in the culture and we can’t wait to welcome more customers on board.”

easyJet launches the Big Orange Sale

easyJet, Europe’s leading airline has launched its Big Orange Sale with over 1.7 million seats, including one million to and from the UK, now available to book with up to 20% off. Book before the 11pm on  12 September 2023. 

20% OFF MORE THAN ONE MILLION SEATS AND UP TO £200 OFF PACKAGE HOLIDAYS

The discounted fares are available across thousands of easyJet flights to and from the UK between 18 September 2023 and 20 March 2023 to over 120 destinations across the airline’s unrivalled network spanning Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

Ali Gayward, easyJet’s UK Country Manager said:  “We are delighted to be launching our Big Orange Sale today on flights and package holidays, so that customers can take advantage of discounts on a million seats to and from the UK and book a bargain getaway.

“With flights across over 120 destinations from the UK to choose from, to some of the most popular holiday destinations across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, now is a great time to book a trip with easyJet, and we look forward to taking even more of our customers away in 2024.”

Terms & Conditions

*Save up £200 per booking with code SALE. Save £200, min spend £2000 or save £100, min spend £800. Spend/saving amount is per booking based on the total holiday price (excluding the optional cost of seat selection on the aircraft) and the code must be applied on the ‘extras’ page of easyJet.com/holidays. Promo code valid for new bookings for all holiday bookings made between 8am on 4/9/23 and 11pm 12/9/23 for holidays completed by 31/10/24. Offer applies to all easyJet holidays from any UK airport, subject to availability. Prices are subject to change. Offer may be changed or withdrawn without notice. Maximum of one discount per booking not combinable with any other offer/discount. If a booking including this discount is changed/cancelled, the discount will no longer be valid on the new/amended booking. Booking Conditions apply. easyJet holidays Ltd (ABTA Y6633) is ATOL protected (11694)

more routes from Rovaniemi for easyJet this winter.

For the winter season,  budget carrier easyJet will launch five new direct routes from Rovaniemi Airport in December 2023. The airline will fly from Rovaniemi to as many as nine foreign destinations.

“Rovaniemi Airport will have a busy month in terms of route openings, as easyJet will launch five new routes to Europe in December. The new routes are evidence of the continuous work we are doing at Finavia to develop Finland’s flight connections,” says Petri Vuori, Finavia’s Senior Vice President responsible for route development.

Five new destinations

easyJet’s new destinations from Rovaniemi Airport are Edinburgh, London Luton, Paris, Amsterdam and Naples.   In addition to the new launches, easyJet will resume flying last winter’s routes to Milan Malpensa, London Gatwick, Manchester and Bristol. During the winter season 2023–2024, the airline will fly from Rovaniemi Airport to a total of nine foreign destinations.

“easyJet’s new direct routes will increase Rovaniemi Airport’s route offering to a record 20 international routes in the coming season. The development of connections shows that Lapland is an attractive destination, and passengers can now experience the enchanting northern winter even more conveniently via Rovaniemi,” says Sanna Kärkkäinen, the Managing Director of Visit Rovaniemi.

During the winter season 2023–2024, easyJet will operate more than 280 departures and arrivals at Rovaniemi Airport, which includes nearly 52,700 return seats. The new routes will be operated with 186-seat Airbus A320 aircraft.

easyJet to start flights to Cairo

One of Europe's leading budget carriers, easyJet has announced a brand new route to the Egyptian capital, Cairo from London Luton which will take off for the first time this winter and operate all year round.

This will be the first time the airline will operate to the Cairo, one of the largest and most iconic cities in North Africa, and becomes the 157th destination on easyJet’s extensive short-haul network spanning Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. 

Departing for the first time on 31st October, flights will operate three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays all year-round providing a direct connection for customers from the UK.

easyJet’s newest destination is undoubtedly one of the most renowned destinations on the planet, home to the world-famous Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Nile river, along with hundreds of palaces, mosques and museums, and lively shopping bazaars.

Cairo joins beach favourites, Sharm-el-Sheikh and Hurghada on easyJet’s Egyptian network. The airline is the largest carrier from the UK to Egypt, which continues to prove popular with UK holidaymakers for guaranteed sun, vast sandy beaches and world-renowned coral reefs.

easyJet to restart London Southend Airport to Alicante service

easyJet has announced it will relaunch its route from London Southend to Alicante in Spain.

easyJet has put on sale the newly relaunched route between  London Southend and Alicante. The budget airline will once again be operating the service from 29th October 2023 with flights operating twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays.

Alicante will be the seventh destination easyJet now serves from London Southend, alongside Malaga, Palma, Faro, Amsterdam, Geneva and Paris.  easyJet previously flew to Alicante between April 2012 to August 2020, flying more than 850,000 passengers in that period.

Alicante is known as the ‘City of the Sun’ and is reportedly the sunniest city in Europe with an average of 349 hours of sun each month, making it the prefect year-round destination. Whether its exploring the old town’s maze of narrow streets, it’s vibrant nightlife and restaurants, or soaking up the sun along the southeastern Mediterranean coastline - Alicante offers something for everyone.  

Ali Gayward, easyJet’s UK Country Manager, said:    “We are really pleased to be announcing another route from London Southend to Alicante today, providing our customers in the South East with even more choice to visit one of Europe’s best-loved beach destinations that we know will prove popular throughout the year. With flights and package holidays on sale today, now is a great time to book early to get the best fares and we can’t wait to welcome more customers on board from this winter.”

John Upton, London Southend Airport CEO, said:   “We are excited, delighted and extremely proud to be able to deliver flights to Alicante for our passengers this winter; restarting our most profitable and popular route from 29th October , and opening the door for passengers in Essex, east London and southeast of England to explore yet another area of Spain with our airline partner, easyJet. I look forward to welcoming friends and families back to London Southend as we celebrate this milestone in the coming weeks with the return of their favourite destination.”

London Southend Airport, ranked the best London airport by consumer group Which? six times and voted the best UK airport (under three million capacity) by the Airport Operator’s Association in 2019. 

Serving close to 2.3 million passengers in 2019, London Southend offered services to around 40 domestic and European cities. The terminal has its own railway station, less than 100 paces from the main entrance, with up to six trains an hour at peak times to central London, taking just 53 minutes to Liverpool Street and 43 minutes from Stratford. All airport car parks are located minutes from the terminal entrance.