easyJet to open new base in Hamburg, expand Berlin base

easyJet, the UK’s largest airline, has announced it will open a base in Hamburg, Germany as well as increasing its fleet in Berlin in the spring of 2014.

Building on its success to date in both Hamburg and Berlin, easyJet’s new base will open with three A319 aircraft with the airline increasing its fleet in Berlin by an additional plane. easyJet will more than double its network from Hamburg with 15 additional new business and leisure routes on the top of its existing portfolio of six routes offering almost 170 flights a week during summer 2014. With more frequencies and early morning departures from Hamburg the schedule will make easyJet more attractive to business passengers.

Carolyn McCall, easyJet chief executive officer, commented:

“I am really pleased to be able to announce the launch of a new base in Hamburg which will enable us to double the size of our operation. Hamburg and its region is one of the most dynamic economies in Europe with a significant and growing tourist industry. In the last twelve months more than half a million passengers have enjoyed easyJet’s low fares combined with our friendly service. These expansion plans mean that we expect to carry twice as many passengers in the first year of operations which will take us to more than a million passengers annually for the first time.”

Hamburg will be easyJet’s 23^rd base in its European network. Germany’s second largest city is also one of Europe’s wealthiest economies with a strong local industry in banking, aviation, renewable energy media & publishing and the second largest European harbour. easyJet expects to bring 275,000 additional business and leisure visitors in Hamburg in the first year.

First Mayor of Hamburg Olaf Scholz said:

“easyJet’s recent decisions strengthen both the Hamburg Airport and the aircraft manufacturing location Hamburg – the third largest after Seattle and Toulouse. The most recent decision of the airline to purchase new aircraft is good for Airbus. It is also good news for suppliers that are involved in aircraft manufacturing. easyJet’s decisions underscore the positive development that Hamburg is experiencing in regards to aviation. This development shows that it was the right decision of the Hamburg Senate in 2000 to invest in aviation in Hamburg and to give the aviation industry the importance it deserves.”

In Berlin, the additional aircraft will take the total based there to eight. It will mean 130,000 more passengers on the top of the four million passengers easyJet has carried on the last 12 months (a 9.5% increase on the previous year). The aircraft will allow easyJet to increase frequencies on popular business and leisure routes. At Summer 2014 passengers will have the choice of up to 635 flights per week.