Fly from Southend to go on the piste

PASSENGERS can look forward to going on skiing holidays from Southend Airport from next winter, easyJet bosses have promised.

The budget airline plans to run flights to several ski resorts across Europe, with tickets possibly going on sale this summer.

Catherine Lynn, the airline’s director of customer and revenue, said: “We’ll be looking to launch our winter schedule in May or June.

“We’ll mix up the flights we offer, with some routes to ski resorts and that kind of thing. Sales have been going well and we’re very excited about the future at Southend.”

The airline will operate routes to nine overseas destinations, once it starts flying from Southend on April 2.

The airline was the first major brand to team up with the expanding airport when it announced a ten-year deal last June.

The Echo revealed yesterday that it will be joined by Irish airline Aer Lingus Regional, which will run three flights a day to Dublin, from May 10.

Passengers will also have the option to buy package deals for connecting Aer Lingus flights to New York, Chicago, Orlando and Boston.

Destinations will include Belfast, Barcelona and Amster-dam. However, easyJet has also chosen some resorts which are specifically targeted at summer tourists, such as Spain’s Alicante, Malaga and Ibiza, and Faro, in Portugal.

Ms Lynn said it was these destinations which were likely to change when the airline announces its winter schedule, which will set out its flights between November and March next year. It is not yet clear which routes might be chosen.

The airline’s Stansted base, from which three aircraft will be moved to fly from Southend, offers flights to Lyon, Grenoble and Nice, in France, Geneva, in Switzerland, Munich, in Germany and Ljubljana, in Slovenia.

Ms Lynn said: “The progress Southend has made in the past year is really encouraging.

“We’re looking forward to a long and beneficial relationship.”

When easyjet announced it was coming to Southend it said flights out of Stansted would be reduced.

Comments(19)

al coniston says...
3:33pm Thu 8 Mar 12

the news just gets better and better . . . . i'm off to get piste

TheEchoreader1983 says...
4:19pm Thu 8 Mar 12

I think you will find a number of people will be against it.

They will be on here, analysing the passenger figures, number of flights and generally making stuff up to make it sound like a bad thing!!

SS4 says...
4:57pm Thu 8 Mar 12

Munich would be a good option because of the business links for financial services from the City of London as well as the Ski resorts nearby.

Gina the weaner says...
5:05pm Thu 8 Mar 12

I don't need to fly from Southend to get piste.

sanderling says...
5:41pm Thu 8 Mar 12

What a fantastic time to live in Southend-on-Sea! I'm very proud of my 'town' but to be awarded 'city' status in the future would surely be the icing on the cake. Viva Southend!

billericay boy says...
6:05pm Thu 8 Mar 12

Irish airline, that takes the piste, Let's just hope when the plane lands it's not towing a caravan.

Max Impact says...
6:17pm Thu 8 Mar 12

I can see the nimbys headlines now...

Flights slashed as airport flops.

Passenger numbers tumble as people vote with their feet.

Public turn against airport as people turn against airport.


Well before they start it is the winter schedule so by its nature the number of flight will be reduced.

upandaterm says...
8:55pm Thu 8 Mar 12

People from Scumend slagging off Colchester ones?? LOL
It is only 2nd to Jaywick!

ethel the frog says...
10:10pm Thu 8 Mar 12

upandaterm wrote:
People from Scumend slagging off Colchester ones?? LOL
It is only 2nd to Jaywick!
Oh do go away and make some sheep nervous.............
.

bignosechaff says...
11:07pm Thu 8 Mar 12

ethel the frog wrote:
upandaterm wrote:
People from Scumend slagging off Colchester ones?? LOL
It is only 2nd to Jaywick!
Oh do go away and make some sheep nervous.............

.
Now now children!

Boris says...
2:22am Fri 9 Mar 12

Who needs Southend when we've got Stansted?
Respect to SUFC but no respect to imbeciles like Brunning999 and billericay boy.

robessex says...
2:25am Fri 9 Mar 12

All we are missing now is a connection flight the Aussie!

robessex says...
2:27am Fri 9 Mar 12

robessex wrote:
All we are missing now is a connection flight the Aussie!
Should have said ' All we are missing is a connection flight to Aussie!'

All 9 of me says...
5:19am Fri 9 Mar 12

on the plus side, Southend will always have it's knockers

Max Impact says...
2:40pm Fri 9 Mar 12

Boris wrote:
Who needs Southend when we've got Stansted? Respect to SUFC but no respect to imbeciles like Brunning999 and billericay boy.
Southend beats Stansted hands down for those of of living in the South by the sea (well Thames Estuary) at least we can walk or bus to the airport instead of driving paying car parking and then upon our return have to drive all the way back.

Nebs says...
2:50pm Fri 9 Mar 12

Max Impact wrote:
Boris wrote:
Who needs Southend when we've got Stansted? Respect to SUFC but no respect to imbeciles like Brunning999 and billericay boy.
Southend beats Stansted hands down for those of of living in the South by the sea (well Thames Estuary) at least we can walk or bus to the airport instead of driving paying car parking and then upon our return have to drive all the way back.
The airport thinks up to 75% to 80% of passengers will arrive by car.

al coniston says...
5:42pm Fri 9 Mar 12

Nebs wrote:
Max Impact wrote:
Boris wrote:
Who needs Southend when we've got Stansted? Respect to SUFC but no respect to imbeciles like Brunning999 and billericay boy.
Southend beats Stansted hands down for those of of living in the South by the sea (well Thames Estuary) at least we can walk or bus to the airport instead of driving paying car parking and then upon our return have to drive all the way back.
The airport thinks up to 75% to 80% of passengers will arrive by car.
due respect, but even given the airports local vicinity to a large population, i just cannot see people walking along Eastwoodbury Crescent, Rochford Road and Manners Way dragging suitcases behind them. And i am sure that a lot of the local passengers will arrive by cars driven by relatives thus removing the need for parking.

Max Impact says...
6:02pm Fri 9 Mar 12

al coniston wrote:
Nebs wrote:
Max Impact wrote:
Boris wrote: Who needs Southend when we've got Stansted? Respect to SUFC but no respect to imbeciles like Brunning999 and billericay boy.
Southend beats Stansted hands down for those of of living in the South by the sea (well Thames Estuary) at least we can walk or bus to the airport instead of driving paying car parking and then upon our return have to drive all the way back.
The airport thinks up to 75% to 80% of passengers will arrive by car.
due respect, but even given the airports local vicinity to a large population, i just cannot see people walking along Eastwoodbury Crescent, Rochford Road and Manners Way dragging suitcases behind them. And i am sure that a lot of the local passengers will arrive by cars driven by relatives thus removing the need for parking.
There are always a few that will moan about a good news story, even if somebody came to Southend gave gave everybody £1million you would get a few people on here moaning! it's in their nature.

smiffy1980 says...
1:56pm Tue 13 Mar 12

number 9 bus straight to the airport - love it. More destinations the better.

click2find

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