EASYJET LAUNCH 5 NEW LIVERPOOL ROUTES

© easyJet

Budget airline easyJet has announced the launch of five new year-round routes from Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA).

The launch of these new routes to sunshine and city break destinations allows for a greater mix and better choice for passengers, something the public and airport operators have been asking for.

The news comes less than two weeks since the airline announced a new year-round route to Malta starting in December.

On sale from today (11th June), the new destinations on offer are; Berlin, Fuerteventura, Malta, Marrakesh, and Prague.

Two of the routes on offer will add a ray of winter sunshine to those seeking to get away from our rainy shores during the colder months. Malta, famed for its beautiful beaches with crystal clear seas is situated right in the heart of the Mediterranean. Whilst Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands provides visitors with over 150 km of white, sandy beaches and magnificent coastline to explore and is perfect for water sport enthusiasts.

To those wanting an exciting city break or simply for those travelling for business, Berlin and Prague will offer excitement, vibrant streets and relaxation. While Marrakech offers something unique and is sure to be popular with those seeking a culturally rich experience.

The new routes form part of the companies Winter 24/25 schedule from LJLA launching in October. The route schedule for the 5 new routes are as follows:

• Prague (x3 weekly – Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays) from 28^th October 2024.
• Marrakech (x2 weekly – Wednesdays & Sundays) from 13^th November 2024.
• Malta (x2 weekly – Tuesdays & Saturdays) from 10^th December 2024.
• Berlin (x2 weekly – Mondays & Fridays) from 14^th February 2025.
• Fuerteventura (x1 weekly – Wednesdays) from 19^th February 2025.

Dates, times and prices as well as other information can be found by booking directly with easyJet online here or via their mobile app. Prices start from as little as £26.99 with the airline also offering package deals as part of easyJet Holidays here.

The launch of these new routes were announced earlier with the airline offering their biggest winter schedule ever with 60 destinations launched across their entire route network.

easyJet will now have up to 31 destinations on offer across Europe and beyond from the Speke-based airport. easyJet fly 2 million passengers per year using 7-based aircraft at LJLA.

Ali Gayward, easyJet’s UK Country Manager, said:

‘’We are delighted to be adding five new routes from Liverpool John Lennon Airport this winter which will offer something for everyone from exotic winter sun to short city hops, we are providing more choice for customers from across the region who choose us for our unrivalled network, fantastic service and great value fares.

Paul Winfield, Aviation Director for LJLA commented:

‘’We are delighted to welcome 5 new routes this Winter with our largest airline partner, easyJet. Berlin, Prague and Marrakesh become new year-round routes from Liverpool, offering passengers from across the North West and North Wales the opportunity to explore these destinations with the added benefit of flying direct from Liverpool. We are also delighted to welcome routes to Malta and Fuerteventura with easyJet, where there is clear demand for more services from Liverpool.’’

Liverpool Airport: Flight on, flight off?

Liverpool John Lennon Airport. ©Liam Fitzsimmons

THE FIGHT to save Liverpool Airport is beginning… and, Liverpool City Council have a lot to answer for.

Council members, from across different political parties, are coming together to oppose the airports proposed expansion due to the ‘environmental impact’ on the area and Councillor Lena Simic, who chairs the climate change and environment select committee, is leading the opposition.

Councillor Simic told the meeting: “Let’s be clear, nobody wants airport expansion.” Liverpool should “lead the way” when it comes to tackling climate change. The world is a very different place from when the council and airport published their original plans, she added.

The council are now threatening to withdraw council funding from the airport all together. But, it’s unclear what is meant by the funding the council gives to the airport.

The council currently own just 10% of the airport, whilst Peel Group own 45% and Ancala Partners own the other 45%.

According to an article published by Place North West, the airport currently contributes £250 million per year to the Liverpool economy, but if the £100 million expansion got the go ahead, this could potentially rise to £625 million per year.

In both 2018 and 2019, the airport saw more than 5 million passengers travel through it, but in 2021 that figure plummeted to just over 1 million passengers* – partially due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The travel industry, as a whole, is still recovering and it will take time. But, over recent weeks airlines like Ryanair, Easyjet and Wizz Air have all CUT routes from the airport and moved those operations to both Manchester Airport & London Gatwick. If this trend continues, and the council continue to bash the airport at every turn soon there won’t be an airport to discuss.

A big light on the horizon is that the airport has successfully negotiated with Lufthansa to launch services to Frankfurt from May 2022. With passengers using that service allowed to check-in for their final destination in Liverpool and use the Frankfurt hub to fly to hundreds of locations across the globe.

But, if Lufthansa can show confidence in the airport and what it could achieve for them, why can’t city council do the same? Why are they so set on allowing the airport to fail?

The council seem to be giving excuse, after excuse, after excuse as to why they’re withdrawing the funding but, many local people want the expansion to go ahead due to the investment it would bring – in jobs, tourism and money to the local economy.

The expansion would bring more routes to the area, including a London route from British Airways, but the airline currently won’t launch one as it believes the airport needs more investment… and it does!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge supporter of the airport and I want to see it expand and be more successful than it already is. In recent years, it has unveiled great improvements passenger facilities, but it needs to do more.

Executives at the airport have put together a plan of action to expand the airport which includes; expanding the runway, extending and improving the airport terminal buildings and build a solar farm capable of 2.5 KWH’s of electricity per year. You can find out more information about the masterplan here: https://www.liverpoolairport.com/about-ljla/liverpool-john-lennon-airport-master-plan-to-2050

Liverpool Airport Masterplan. Credit: Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

However, Green Party councillor Anna Key, says this goes against the councils aim of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. But, can we really allow our airport to fail for the sake of the councils carbon neutral target? No, we can’t!

Understandably, there will be some sort of impact to the environment, but the airport is putting plans in place to combat that and we can’t stop investment and jobs that people desperately need for the sake of the environment – especially when another airport down the M62 is seeing constant investment and new routes announced each day.

Liverpool City Council really needs to start doing what is right for it’s people and stop using the excuses of environment and heritage to stop the city from moving forward and being stuck in the past. The city is being left behind on numerous fronts and we can’t allow the council to keep doing it.

I, for one, support the expansion of Liverpool John Lennon Airport and I urge others to do the same.

SUPPORT THE LIVERPOOL AIRPORT EXPANSION!

*Credit to Place North West.