easyJet and Virgin Atlantic partner in pilot exchange programme

easyJet and Virgin Atlantic have partnered in a pilot exchange programme that will see a cohort of easyJet pilots join Virgin Atlantic to experience a wide-body flying secondment.

From November 2024, 20 easyJet pilots will swap A320 flying for the right-hand seat as a co-pilot to train on Virgin Atlantic’s Airbus A350 fleet for around three years, returning to easyJet at the end of the placement.

New partnership will see cohort of easyJet pilots join Virgin Atlantic on secondment to train on Airbus A350 wide-body fleet

New programme offers three year long haul flying experience with security of an easyJet role to return to

The partnership will provide easyJet pilots with over 1500 flying hours with the opportunity to experience operations on a state of the art, wide-body Airbus A350 and further their flight deck experience over long-haul routes on the youngest transatlantic fleet, while Virgin Atlantic will benefit from highly-trained experienced short haul easyJet pilots from across Europe joining its team.
Captain Bart Prudon, Director of Flight Operations for easyJet, said:  “At easyJet, we pride ourselves on the calibre of our pilots, our industry-leading training and commitment to career development and so we are delighted to have partnered with Virgin Atlantic to further enhance the opportunities flying with easyJet can offer. Operating a different aircraft type is a fantastic experience for any pilot and this partnership will not only offer global long-haul flying with the added security of returning to easyJet to continue a fantastic career flying modern aircraft across Europe, we know that our highly-skilled pilots will add great value to the Virgin Atlantic team.”
Robbert Strating, VP Flight Operations at Virgin Atlantic, commented:   “Our pilots play a vital role flying our customers, safely and on time. The introduction of our pilot placement programme with easyJet will welcome experienced easyJet pilots directly into the Virgin Atlantic family, giving them the opportunity to fly our state-of-the-art, next generation widebody Airbus aircraft, travelling to some amazing long-haul destinations including Los Angeles, India, and South Africa.
Meanwhile, easyJet’s extensive basing network will allow us to attract pilots from across Europe, reaching new audiences.  With our purpose to inspire everyone to take on the world, we’re pleased to play a pivotal role developing their flying careers and enhancing the skills of the next generation of pilots and supporting UK aviation”. 

easyJet launches cabin crew ‘Returnship’ initiative aimed at the over 50s....

easyJet is launching a new recruitment drive for cabin crew with more over 50s, careers changers and those looking to ‘unretire’  among those being encouraged to apply.

The airline has launched a new initiative dubbed ‘Returnships’, after new research showed that three quarters of over 50’s (74%) agreed that this was the perfect time for a new career and 67% have considered returning to work.

As part of the campaign, the airline will offer free online cabin crew career info sessions and a hands-on cabin crew training taster session at its London Gatwick cabin crew training centre, to give those considering a new career the opportunity to find out more about the job from the airline’s crew training and recruitment experts.

Since launching its first campaign in 2022 to show that anyone with the right skills regardless of their age can become cabin crew, the airline has seen the number of new hires over the age of 50 more than double, while the number of over 60s joining as cabin crew has increased four times over.

With the latest ONS data* showing that the employment rate for those over 50 is increasing again, easyJet wants to encourage more of this experienced and skilled demographic to apply for the hundreds of cabin crew roles available for 2025 in many of easyJet’s bases across the UK, to bring their valuable experience to the profession.

New research by the airline of 2000 Brits over 50 revealed that 67% of over 50s have considered returning to work and nearly half (46%) have considered a new career.

The significant majority agreed that the main reason for doing so would be to take on a new challenge (82%), while 77% agreed this would be to have many experiences as possible and two thirds agreed the change would be to pursue a dream job (66%).

Rolls-Royce and easyJet to perform hydrogen testing at NASA’s Stennis Space Centre

easyJet and Rolls-Royce reach next major milestone in hydrogen-powered aviation journey

Rolls-Royce announced it has broken ground on a truly unique engine test site to perform outdoor, full-scale gas turbine hydrogen testing. The development of the site and engine testing is in partnership with easyJet and will be located at NASA’s Stennis Space Centre in Mississippi.

This will be the third Rolls-Royce test stand at NASA Stennis, expanding a relationship with NASA that goes back decades and includes joint research on a variety of aerospace technologies.

This program is part of Rolls-Royce’s goal to develop technologies that meet the world’s growing demand for power while enabling net zero by 2050. The testing will demonstrate the integration of technologies required for 100% hydrogen fuel operation on a modified Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 engine. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is providing engineering expertise to Rolls-Royce to achieve this milestone.

In addition to hydrogen research, Rolls-Royce continues to focus on other key elements of its technology strategy – specifically the enhancement of gas turbine engines; promoting and enabling the incorporation of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF); and other forms of power including increased electrification.

Deborah Robinson, Director – Test & Experimental Engineering for Rolls-Royce, said: “Rolls-Royce is at the forefront of developing technologies that will be needed to reach net zero by 2050. We are excited to partner with other global leaders like easyJet and NASA to explore the viability of aviation decarbonization through the introduction of hydrogen as an alternative fuel."

easyJet set for busiest ever summer as holidays take off

easyJet expects to fly more passengers than ever before this summer operating 80,000 flights over the school holidays

The airline will see its busiest day of the summer on 28 July expecting to fly over 300,000 customers on nearly 2000 flights across its European network

Palma, Faro, Malaga, Nice and Barcelona are among the most popular destinations this summer with the Greek Islands and Turkey seeing an increase in popularity compared to last year

easyJet holidays will see its busiest summer season yet

Great value late summer fares are still to be had with seats to hotspot destinations across Europe on offer from just £14.99*

With the arrival of school summer holidays across the UK, easyJet is warming up for the busiest time of the year which will see the airline operate over 80,000 flights across Europe and North Africa during the holidays, and expects to carry more passengers across its entire network than ever before across the summer.

The airline will see its busiest day of the summer on 28 July when nearly 2000 flights are set to take off expecting to fly over 300,000 customers, as thousands of families across the UK jet off on a well-deserved holiday.

Beach destinations of Palma, Faro and Malaga in Spain as well as the beach-front cities of Barcelona - which also serves some of Spain’s most popular leisure resorts - and Nice in the south of France are proving to be among this year’s favourite hot spots for those seeking guaranteed sun, outstanding food, culture and natural beauty, while destinations in the Greek Islands like Skiathos and Turkey are experiencing a rise in popularity compared to last year.

easyJet holidays will see its busiest summer season yet, taking hundreds of thousands of customers on a package getaway during the school holiday period. Popular destinations for families include Antalya, Izmir, Menorca and Hurghada, where all-inclusive is the board of choice.

Closer to home, Edinburgh followed by Belfast are the most popular domestic destinations for people travelling across the UK, as people visit friends and relatives during the summer holidays. 

Ali Gayward, easyJet's UK Country Manager, commented:  “The summer is always our busiest time of the year and this year is no exception. We continue to see more and more people choose easyJet to take them on their summer getaway, and with the school holidays taking off for most of the country this weekend, we’re looking forward to taking them away on a well-deserved beach break, to spend quality time with friends and family, or relax and recharge. 

“We continue to do everything possible to make travel as easy and, of course, affordable as possible, with fantastic value fares still available for those hunting for a last-minute bargain and hundreds of routes to 136 destinations across Europe and beyond to choose from.”

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Get 10% off your first order

 







Thousands of free child places are also available alongside school holiday deals to find a package holiday at unbeatable value.
easyJet holidays offers seven nights at the 4*Julian Club Hotel in Dalaman on an All Inclusive basis for £505 per person, plus a free child’s place including 23kg of luggage per person, transfers and flights from Bristol on 30 August 2024.
easyJet holidays offers seven nights at the 4* Hipotels Cala Bona Club in Majorca on a Self-Catering basis for £410 per person including 23kg of luggage per person, transfers and flights from London Gatwick on 28 August 2024.
easyJet holidays offers seven nights at the 5* Granada Luxury Belek in Antalya on an All Inclusive Plus basis for £745 per person, plus a free child’s place including 23kg of luggage per person, transfers and flights from London Gatwick on 3 September 2024.
easyJet holidays offers seven nights at the 5* Iberostar Selection Kantaoui Bay in Tunisia on an All Inclusive basis for £672 per person including 23kg of luggage per person, transfers and flights from Belfast International on 24 August 2024.
easyJet holidays offers seven nights at the 5* H10 Rubicon Palace in Lanzarote on a Half Board basis for £751 per person including 23kg of luggage per person, transfers and flights from London Luton on 15 August 2024.
easyJet serves 21 UK airports, offering 584 routes to 136 destinations from the UK to Europe and beyond.
*Flights one way per person including taxes, holidays based on a family of four

easyJet launches more new routes including flights to Luxor in Egypt

easyJet has announced today it is launching four new routes from three UK airports, including to Luxor in Egypt for the first time in over a decade.

The announcement follows releases last month of 36 new routes from the UK meaning the airline is now offering 41 new routes from this winter across Europe and North Africa including brand new destinations such as City of Derry airport in Northern Ireland, Tromso in Norway and Strasbourg in France.

Flights to Luxor will launch on 11 November from London Gatwick with twice weekly departures on Mondays and Thursdays. Known for its ancient temples and tombs, Luxor is home to famous monuments such as the Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings and the tomb of Tutankhamun, one of Egypt's most famous pharaohs, making it the perfect culture trip for history buffs.

For first time easyJet holidays will offer a river cruise package holiday to Luxor, with seven night Nile River cruises in partnership with Jaz Hotels and Resorts. Holidaymakers will be able to enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the Nile River, the expansive lush green fields and desert mountains in this unique travel experience sailing from Luxor through to Edfu and Aswan, before returning to Luxor to visit the world-renowned Karnak open air museum.

4* and 5* star hand-picked Luxor hotels are also available to book with easyJet holidays, providing ultimate luxury at brilliant value and in close proximity to all the sites and experiences the area has to offer.

easyJet and UNICEF launch summer collection to help get every child in school and access learning

‘Every Child Can Fly’ campaign is now live onboard easyJet flights to support UNICEF’s aim of achieving quality education for all children by 2030.

Over 29 million customers flying with easyJet across more than 190,000 flights over the summer have the opportunity to help raise vital funds through onboard collections

easyJet customers and crew have raised nearly £17 million since the beginning of their partnership.

easyJet and UNICEF have launched their ‘Every Child Can Fly’ summer onboard collection, to support UNICEF’s goal of ensuring that every child can access learning, including in emergencies.

From today, over 29 million customers set to fly with easyJet this summer can donate through cabin crew collections onboard more than 190,000 flights across 33 countries, and help raise vital funds to help change millions of children’s lives.

An estimated 226 million children worldwide are currently unable to access a quality education, due to conflicts and emergencies. Funds raised through the onboard collections will contribute to UNICEF's target of providing access to learning opportunities and digital education for millions of children around the world. 

easyJet customers’ donations could help UNICEF purchase over 2,000 tents to create safe learning spaces or provide more than 20,000 school-in-a-box kits to help at least 830,000 children continue their education during emergencies and conflicts. This includes children like 10-year-old Mohammad Salem from Abyan in Yemen, who says: "Even though the school is without electricity, I go to school because I learn something new every day. They distributed bags, pens, and colouring pencils for us to draw with,” said Mohammad, adding that these utensils will help realise his dream in the future. “Someday, I will be a pilot,” he said.

Michael Brown, Director of Cabin Services, commented:  “We’re incredibly proud to be launching our ‘Every Child Can Fly’ summer collection onboard today, meaning millions of customers flying with us this summer will have the opportunity to help UNICEF continue making a real difference to children and their families around the world by helping ensure every child has access to a quality education. 

This is of course all made possible by our fantastic crew who are passionate and dedicated in raising money for UNICEF and we are incredibly grateful to all of our customers who have already donated for their kindness and generosity.”

Mohini Raichura-Brown, Chief Partnerships Officer at the UK National Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) said:  “This summer, easyJet customers have a unique opportunity to help UNICEF tackle the global learning crisis. With 226 million children worldwide unable to access quality education due to conflicts and emergencies, the need has never been greater. Today, more than ever, children and their futures must be protected. 

Over the past 12 years, easyJet has supported UNICEF to reach millions of children and families with life-saving support and quality learning opportunities. A massive thank you to all easyJet employees and customers for their incredible support.”

Since 2012, easyJet crew and customers have helped raise nearly £17 million for UNICEF, enabling them to reach millions of children and families worldwide as they tackle issues like polio, COVID-19, and access to quality education, especially in emergencies.

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easyJet announces year-round connection from London Gatwick to Menorca

easyJet will be extending its summer route from Menorca to London Gatwick to operate throughout the winter as well, taking it to a year-round service.  

The airline says this will offer an additional 16,000 seats throughout the winter with flights set to launch on 6 November 2024, operating twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays. This comes at a time when there is a juxtaposition between the holiday demand increasing and local opposition to more tourism.

Javier Gándara, General Director of easyJet in Southern Europe, said:  "We are delighted to announce that our route between Menorca and London Gatwick will now operate all year round. This extension to the winter season not only underlines our commitment to sustained growth in Spain, but also demonstrates our dedication to the local community in Menorca.

At easyJet, we understand the importance of international connectivity and are proud to contribute to the island's strategy of year-round connectivity to London and beyond."

easyJet to digitise onboard Aircraft Technical log to cut down on paper use and weight

easyJet is replacing weighty Paper Technical and Cabin Logs previously used by cabin crew, engineers, ground crew and flight crew with the new e-techlog system, which will be rolled out across its 346-strong fleet of aircraft during 2025.

The move represents another way the airline is trying to reduce its operational waste, with the transition expected to save more than 300,000 sheets of paper from being printed and stored every year.

Digitising the technical and cabin logbook will save over 300,000 sheets of paper records from being printed and stored every year.

Transitioning from paper to digital reporting will also increase efficiency for easyJet's flight crew, cabin crew and engineering teams.

The e-techlog system is from renowned aviation technology company, Ultramain, and will be rolled out to easyJet’s 346-strong fleet of the Airbus A320 family by the end of 2025.

Additionally, the new e-techlog system will help streamline the maintenance reporting process for flight crew, cabin crew and engineering – enabling easyJet to increase line maintenance productivity in the process.

Bolstered by real-time flight and cabin crew reports, the new system will in particular aid easyJet with fewer ground delays, lowering aircraft maintenance times to enable greater aircraft availability and ultimately less disruption for passengers. 

David Morgan, Chief Operating Officer at easyJet, said:  “Rolling out Ultramain’s state-of-the-art technology across our fleet of aircraft will not only improve the reporting processes for our crew and engineering teams but will also see fewer delays on the ground, which will help further enhance the travel experience for our customers.

“Our continued investment into innovative solutions like the e-techlog means we’ll not only find quicker solutions to defects but by cutting our paper use and the weight on the aircraft, we are also taking another small but important step to reduce our environmental impact too.”

easyJet releases 60 new routes for winter 2024

easyJet has announced its largest release of new routes with 60 new routes now available to book including 33 routes launching from 11 UK airports, with flights taking off for the first time from this winter.

The release includes a new winter service to Tromso in Norway for the very first time with departures from London Gatwick, Bristol and Manchester, as well as a year-round service from London Gatwick to Strasbourg, a brand new French destination for the airline.

New twice-weekly flights to Tromso will launch on 11 November from London Gatwick with departures on Mondays and Fridays, from Manchester on 19 November with departures on Tuesdays and Saturdays and from Bristol on 5 December on Thursdays and Sundays throughout winter, so customers can plan an arctic adventure in one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights.

Flights to London Gatwick to Strasbourg will operate three times a week on Mondays, Fridays and Sundays throughout the year, giving customers the choice of a week or weekend break to explore this historic French city.

The airline has launched three routes from London Luton to Athens and Basel which both start on 7 November and Djerba in Tunisia which will start on 11 November. The new route to Athens will operate three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, complementing the airline’s existing four UK routes to Athens and as a year-round route, customers can also benefit from this being a gateway to the beautiful Greek islands. The new route to Basel will operate four times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays and the new route to Djerba will operate year round on Mondays and Fridays.

easyJet to serve Costa Coffee onboard all flights from this summer

easyJet and Costa Coffee launch a new collaboration that will see two of the UK’s leading brands take flight together. Serving millions of customers across Europe, Costa Coffee will be available onboard all easyJet flights from this summer.

Set to launch late summer 2024, the new offering will see a range of Costa Coffee’s hot beverage options take to the skies, with easyJet customers able to choose from Cappuccino, Latte, Salted Caramel Latte, as well as a Decaf option, crafted specifically for tasting great at 30,000 feet.

The collaboration is set to further enhance the range of onboard refreshments easyJet offers through its EAT.DRINK.SHOP range, served across easyJet’s entire network of nearly 1000 routes to more than 155 airports across 35 countries, through easyJet’s catering and retail partner dnata. 

easyJet has also recently launched its new summer EAT.DRINK.SHOP range onboard, including new fresh food and snacks, as well as a selection of children’s products that return for the summer, providing customers with more choice onboard than ever before. 

easyJet announces new route from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to Malta

easyJet has confirmed it will launch a new year-round route between Liverpool and Malta. Flights will take off for the first time on 10th December 2024 and operate twice a week on Tuesdays and Sundays all year-round.

The new route to Malta will be the fourth the airline has added to its Liverpool network in the last 12 months, following new services being introduced to Enfida in Tunisia, Hurghada in Egypt and the Greek island of Corfu.

Famed for its beautiful coastlines, crystal clear waters and more that 3.000 hours of sunshine a year, Malta is an archipelago of islands situated in the heart of the Mediterranean steeped in rich history and offers plenty to explore whether for a cultural getaway, relaxing beach break or scuba diving adventure.

Package holidays to Malta are also available to book through easyJet holidays, with a mix of all-inclusive resorts from the 4* db San Antonio Hotel and Spa offering an array of facilities for the whole family, to adults-only luxury with the 4* Seaview Hotel located in St Pauls Bay. Enjoy panoramic sea views and sunsets from the rooftops infinity pool, plus an array of a la carte restaurants to dine in.

Commenting on the new route, Ali Gayward, Malta Country manager, easyJet, said:   “We are delighted to be announcing another new route from Liverpool, to Malta, providing our customers in the North West with even greater choice and connectivity to more of Europe’s best holiday destinations, all with great value fares and friendly service, and we look forward to welcoming them on board.”

Paul Winfield, Aviation Director for LJLA said:  “We are delighted to welcome this new service to Malta with easyJet – a destination that we know is popular with holidaymakers from across the Liverpool City Region and beyond. 

With just 9% of all flights to Malta from the North West currently served from Liverpool, this route has significant opportunity to grow from here, with more passengers from across the North West now able to take advantage of all the benefits of jetting off on holiday to Malta from Liverpool.”

easyJet and SR Technics mark the acquisition of maintenance facility in Malta

• easyJet will now undertake the heavy maintenance of its fleet of more than 340 aircraft bringing the workforce of more than 400 into the airline

easyJet and SR Technics have finalised an agreement which sees the airline acquire the SR Technics maintenance facility in Malta.

The signing ceremony, which took place with the Prime Minister, Dr Robert Abela in attendance, was held at the maintenance hangar today and signals the handover of the facility to easyJet.

easyJet will now undertake heavy maintenance on its growing fleet of more than 340 aircraft and welcome the workforce of more than 400 currently based at the facility to the easyJet Group. The six-bay aircraft maintenance facility has undertaken heavy maintenance for the easyJet fleet of aircraft for several years. 

Prime Minister of Malta, Hon. Dr Robert Abela commented:  Prime Minister Robert Abela extended his congratulations to easyJet and SR Technics on finalising a pivotal agreement, marking easyJet’s acquisition of the SR Technics maintenance facility in Malta. “The Government stands ready to support the industry”, stated Prime Minister Abela, emphasising Malta’s robust MRO sector and engineering services workforce, which boasts approximately 1,500 professionals. “We take pride in the Maltese leadership managing these hangars and commend our dedicated technicians and engineers whose efforts have attracted and retained such esteemed companies”, Dr Abela added. 

Expressing his gratitude towards SR Technics and welcoming easyJet’s substantial investment, Prime Minister Robert Abela affirmed the government’s commitment to fostering a thriving aviation industry in Malta.

David Morgan, Chief Operating Officer for easyJet, commenting on the acquisition, said:  “We are delighted to be in Malta today to mark this important milestone. We have long held links with the island and look forward to further strengthening these in the coming years with this maintenance facility which will mean we will employ more than four hundred people locally to maintain our growing, modern fleet of aircraft.”

easyJet opens new AI equipped operations control centre

Brand new airline operations control centre will manage around half a million flights annually

Operations team have access to  a new generative AI tool, Jetstream, to help solve issues for pilots and crew on the ground more quickly, with plans to put this technology directly into pilot and crew’s hands in the coming months aiding real-time decision making to improve the customer experience

Data science is already embedded in many areas of the operation from aircraft technology, aircraft swaps and predictive maintenance

easyJet has opened a brand new operations Integrated Control Centre (ICC) in Luton to manage its daily flight programme of around 2000 flights. The new centre has embedded AI into its day to day practices to aid faster and better decision making to help improve the customer experience. For example, tools to help predict standby crew requirements and a crew planning tool which helps to recommend and select the best crew options for the needs of the operation. 

More than 250 specialists work in the 24/7 control centre managing more than 340 easyJet aircraft flying up to 300,000 customers to 35 countries on more than 1000 routes to 155 airports every day. The new state-of-the-art facility houses experts working across the operation to get flights off the ground and to their destination, safely and on time. Roles in the centre range from route planners,  crewing teams to ensure pilots and crew are correctly allocated to flights, teams dealing with aircraft allocation and aircraft maintenance as well as live customer communications. 

The new ICC facility has been thoughtfully designed to ensure the team have a calm environment where noise is limited, the team have natural daylight with dark desks and individual desk lighting so they can create the best working environment for them and a brand new rest room with reclining chairs and dark green walls and ceilings which is proven to engender a relaxing environment.

We have provided teams with a new generative AI tool called Jetstream, which gives them instant access to policies, procedures and information which will enable them to solve operational issues as they occur. And in the coming months, we plan for AI-led technology will be placed in the hands of our crew as well. This bespoke tool contains the information from eight operational manuals to aid ICC with a wealth of information making around 3000 pages of manuals available at their fingertips like never before.

Johan Lundgren, CEO of easyJet, commented: 

“We are really pleased to have our new operations control centre up and running in time for the summer season ramp up, providing our operational team with a modern and bespoke facility from which to manage up to 13,000 flights a week. 

“At easyJet, we saw the potential early on for data to improve customer experience and operational efficiency which could help us provide a better flying experience for our customers, crew and pilots. And while you can’t always see it, the technology is already hard at work in the air and on the ground helping us predict exactly what food and drink we need for certain routes while minimising food waste, aiding predictive maintenance decisions and helping us to ensure we have the right aircraft on the right routes to best match demand. 

“We continue to invest in and deepen our knowledge and use of AI, with a rapid deployment team working on 250 live use cases across our operations and scheduling, customer service, the booking experience and easyJet holidays.”

London Southend Airport to become easyJet's 10th UK base.....

London Southend Airport is celebrating after one of the biggest budget carriers, easyJet announced it will be basing three aircraft at the airport, making it the 10th UK base for the airline.

From next March easyJet will have three 186-seat Airbus A320neo aircraft at the airport, creating around 130 direct jobs for pilots and crew in the UK and supporting many more indirect jobs. 

Three A320neo aircraft will be based at London Southend, with six new routes launching to popular leisure destinations for summer 2025 

The UK is easyJet’s largest market with 56% of all easyJet passengers flying to and from UK airports and this announcement comes as the airline is set to operate more UK flying than ever before this year with over 57 million seats – a 10% increase versus last year – and has launched 70 new routes from the UK, fuelled by strong consumer demand for easyJet’s flights and holidays. 

The airline already serves international routes from London Southend to popular beach and city destinations Amsterdam, Geneva, Faro, Palma de Mallorca, Malaga and Paris Charles de Gaulle and has flown over seven million customers from London Southend since operations began in 2012. 

The planned addition of more aircraft is already enabling the airline to launch six new routes to Pisa, Gran Canaria, Dalaman and Antalya, Marrakech as well as Enfidha in Tunisia. easyJet holidays will be on sale from tomorrow with departures from 1 May 2025, meaning package holidays from London Southend will be available seven days a week, with flights on sale in the coming months. 

Budget airlines easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz air join forces to warn European Commission against limiting scope of non-CO2 MRV

easyJet has teamed up with Ryanair and Wizz air to send a letter to the Director Generals of the European Commission, urging them to maintain the full geographical scope of its Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) for non-CO2 emissions.

The airlines have appealed to the Commission that it must hold firm and ignore attempts being made by other industry actors to restrict the scope of the research to Intra-European flights only - arguing if pushed through this would be a huge missed opportunity to enhance understanding about non-CO2 effects in global regions.

In a joint statement, the three European airlines said:  “easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air today (3rd May) submitted a joint letter to the EU commission calling on them to reject the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) attempts to restrict monitoring of non-CO2 effects to intra-European flights.

Given long-haul extra-EEA flights account for c.70% of Europe’s aviation emissions, limiting the geographical scope of this research would not only undermine the EU’s proposed Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) programme but would be a huge missed opportunity to enhance understanding about non-CO2 effects in regions such as the North-Atlantic, where a high concentration of contrails are formed by long-haul flights.

We believe increased funding, data gathering, and research are necessary to build increased understanding of non-Co2 effects and how to best mitigate any negative impact they might have.”

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easyJet celebrates sixth aircraft arrival at Glasgow Airport and launches first flights to Enfidha

easyJet celebrates sixth aircraft arrival at Glasgow Airport and launches first flights to Enfidha

easyJet has welcomed its sixth aircraft at Glasgow Airport where it will operate its largest ever flying programme this summer

Inaugural flights to Enfidha in Tunisia took off for the first time today and flights to Larnaca in Cyprus are set to take off for the first time later this week with great value fares still available for this summer from £39.99

Scotland’s largest airline easyJet, has welcomed an additional aircraft to its base at Glasgow Airport, meaning the airline will operate its largest ever flying programme from Scotland this summer, offering over 2.2 million seats to and from Glasgow.  

The new neo aircraft will join three Airbus A320 family aircraft already serving the airline’s customers in Glasgow, the most since operations began, demonstrating the airline’s long-term commitment to Scotland by providing more great value choice, offering 86 routes across 19 countries in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

The airline has also launched brand new flights to Enfidha in Tunisia for the first time, now operating twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays throughout the year. A new route to Larnaca in Cyprus is set also set take off for the first time on Saturday 4 May and will operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays throughout the summer.

Both routes will provide Scottish customers with even more choice when planning their summer getaway, whether they want to relax by crystal clear waters or discover some of Europe’s most charming cities.

easyJet reopens applications for 2024 Pilot Training Programme

The budget carrier easyJet has opened its renowned Generation easyJet Pilot Training programme, which takes aspiring pilots with little or no experience to the cockpit of an Airbus A320 commercial airliner in around two years as qualified co-pilot. Over 1000 new pilots are set to join easyJet by 2028 as part of a five year recruitment drive, with around 200 places now available this year. 

With still only around 6% of pilots worldwide being women, easyJet has been focused on tackling this industry-wide challenge for a number of years through initiatives including recruitment campaigns, its pilot school visits programme and Summer Flight School. 

As a result, 7.5% of easyJet’s pilots in the UK are women compared to the UK industry average of 6.5%, with around 300 women including 99 Captains now flying for the airline, which has continued to work on tackling stereotypes and misconceptions around the job and encouraging more women to apply. 

The Generation easyJet Pilot Training Programme is now open for aspiring pilots to apply at Generation easyJet Pilot Training Programme | CAE

Earlier this month the airline launched an online test which assesses some of the key skills required to become an airline pilot, after research revealed that half of Brits (50%) don’t know what qualifications are needed to become an airline pilot and learn to fly a commercial jet. 

To apply to easyJet’s Pilot Training Programme, aspiring pilots need to be aged 18 or over by the time they begin training and have a minimum of 5 General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) of Grade C or above (or equivalent), including Mathematics, Science and English language – no higher qualifications or degrees are required. 

Ground-breaking airport hydrogen trial next critical step on journey to achieving zero emission aviation

• Project Acorn is the first airside hydrogen refuelling trial ever to take place at a major UK airport
• Hydrogen has been used to refuel and power critical parts of easyJet’s ground operation at Bristol Airport, demonstrating hydrogen can be safely and reliably used in place of other fuels in an airport
• The data and insight gathered will be used to create the first ever safety guidance and inform the creation of the regulatory framework
• Critically, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has played an active role in the trial as an independent reviewer of the safety case
• The trial also aims to accelerate the use of hydrogen in aviation and across other industries

A ground-breaking airside hydrogen refuelling trial, led by easyJet and supported by several cross-industry partners, has been successfully completed at Bristol Airport – the first airport trial of its kind at a major UK airport.

Hydrogen was used to refuel and power ground support equipment (GSE) – specifically, baggage tractors – servicing easyJet passenger aircraft. Conducted as part of the airline’s daily operations, the trial demonstrates that the gas can be safely and reliably used to refuel ground equipment in the busy, live airport environment.

The trial, dubbed Project Acorn, was in development for over a year and involved many other leading organisations from across aviation, engineering, logistics and academia. These include Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, Cranfield University, Connected Places Catapult (CPC), DHL Supply Chain, Fuel Cell Systems, the IAAPS research institute, Jacobs, Mulag and TCR.

The group intends to use the outputs of the trial to help develop industry best practice standards, provide guidance to airports, airlines, local authorities and regulators on required infrastructure changes, and support the development of a regulatory framework for hydrogen’s use on an airfield – standards which, due to hydrogen’s nascency in aviation, do not currently exist.

The data and insights gathered will also feed into research that groups like Hydrogen in Aviation (HIA)* are conducting to ensure UK infrastructure, regulatory and policy changes keep pace with the technological developments in carbon-emission free flying. It also supports the work and ambitions of other bodies such as Hydrogen South West (HSW) and the Hydrogen Innovation Initiative (HII), the latter having also co-funded the project.

David Morgan, Chief Operating Officer at easyJet, said:   “It’s without doubt that hydrogen will be an important fuel of the future for short-haul aviation, as demonstrated by the rate of innovation we’re seeing.

While the technology is advancing at an exciting pace, as hydrogen isn’t used in commercial aviation today, there is currently no regulatory guidance in place on how it can and should be used, and so trials like this are very important in building the safety case and providing critical data and insight to inform the development of the industry’s first regulatory framework. This will ensure regulation not only keeps pace with innovation, but importantly also supports the industry in meeting its decarbonisation targets by 2050.”

Tim Johnson, Director for Strategy, Policy and Communications at the Civil Aviation Authority, comments:

“Projects such as this are cornerstones of our commitment to support innovation and decarbonisation in the industry.

This trial will serve as the basis of a White Paper which we will also be contributing to, as well as allow for the creation of further safety guidance and regulatory standards for the use of hydrogen in aviation. 

We look forward to helping nurture this seed of the future greener aviation sector as it continues to grow.”

Nine new easyJet Fearless Flyer course dates across the UK for summer 2024

easyJet is bringing its Fearless Flyer course back for summer, to help nervous flyers take control and overcome their fears. With courses starting from 21st April 2024 and taking place in Glasgow, Bristol, Manchester, Belfast, London Gatwick, Liverpool, London Luton, and Edinburgh as well as returning to easyJet’s new base Birmingham for the first time this year, customers now have a choice of nine airports across the UK to book their experience flight.

easyJet's summer 2024 Fearless Flyer Experience Flights are taking place on the following dates across the UK:

Airport	Date
Glasgow	Sunday 21st April 2024
Bristol	Saturday 27th April 2024
Manchester	Sunday 28th April 2024
Belfast	Saturday 11th May 2024
London Gatwick	Saturday 18th May 2024
Liverpool	Saturday 8th June 2024
London Luton	Sunday 9th June 2024
Edinburgh	Monday 17th June 2024
Birmingham	Saturday 23rd June 2024

For over a decade the course has helped over 12,000 phobics take to the skies after successfully completing the Fearless Flyer course, with the programme achieving over 95% success rate and it continues to be one of the best-priced aerophobia courses in the UK, starting at just £89 per person with the summer schedule providing options across the UK from April until the end of June.

easyJet’s Fearless Flyer course is divided into three main parts:

A virtual ground course, where an easyJet captain explains the unfamiliar sounds and sensations customers feel onboard an aircraft during take off, landing and during times of turbulence. In addition, Lawrence Leyton, a leading expert in the psychology of fear, teaches a unique set of mind techniques to help manage nerves.

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 with the Fearless Flyer Team including an easyJet pilot, Lawrence Leyton and Course Director Mark Wein, who shares his tips and advice on how he overcame his own fear of flying many years ago.

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.

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

Captain Maria Pernia-Digings, Lead Fearless Flyer Pilot Presenter, easyJet said:  “We’re delighted to be relaunching our renowned Fearless Flyer course for 2024 with summer courses now available to book across the UK. The courses have been running for many years with a success rate of over 95%. As one of the Captains presenting the course, I have seen first-hand how so many nervous flyers conquer their worries and fears about flying  and they are now enjoying traveling to all parts of the world for business, for holidays and visiting relatives. If you have a fear of flying, please come and join us and let us help you to spread your wings and change your life.” 

easyJet celebrates the opening of its new base in Alicante

easyJet, Europe's leading airline, is celebrating the opening of its new base at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport, a step that further strengthens its presence in Spain, where it now has 4 bases.

 

easyJet, Europe's leading airline, has this week celebrated the opening of its new base at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport, a step that further strengthens its presence in Spain, where it now has 4 bases. The first flight operated by Alicante based aircraft and crew took off on Sunday 31 March at 6.00 am to Glasgow with Captain Daniel Ankerso in command.

The airline has allocated three aircraft of the A320 family at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport, generating around 100 direct jobs for pilots and crew. The opening of this new seasonal base, which will be operational from March to October, consolidates easyJet's position in Spain, with 19 aircraft based in the country and around 900 people employed on local contracts.

In addition to the economic boost that this announcement means for Alicante, the new base will allow easyJet to explore unserved markets and support existing key traffic flows. easyJet recently announced 10 new connections from Alicante, bringing its route network to 22 destinations and connecting it with key cities in Europe, such as Amsterdam, Geneva, Prague, and Nantes, among others. Since the first route between Alicante and London Stansted in 1999, the airline has carried more than 30 million passengers to/from Alicante and has positioned itself as the 2nd airline in terms of international connections.

All in all, easyJet offers 1.5 million seats (capacity) in Alicante this summer season, an increase of around 10% compared to the same season in 2023. 

Javier Gándara, easyJet's country director for Southern Europe, commented:  "With more than 30 million passengers carried since 1999, Alicante was one of the most popular destinations in our network that did not yet have a base, until now. Opening our fourth base in Spain in Alicante confirms our commitment to this region and is an opportunity to further expand and consolidate our operations in the country.”  As Gándara explains, "the seasonal base model allows us to perfectly adapt to the needs of the market, boosting existing flows and giving us the opportunity to explore underved markets in the future that would have previously been inaccessible. Today we are particularly excited to be here in Alicante, to celebrate the beginning of our operations from the new base and to introduce easyJet, its business models and its values to the local community.”