Introduction of New easyJet Bases
easyJet, a prominent European low-cost airline based in London-Luton, has announced strategic expansions within Italy by establishing new bases in Milan and Rome by early 2025. This development is a direct response to the European Commission’s approval of the Lufthansa Group’s acquisition of ITA Airways. As part of the European Commission’s conditions, easyJet was chosen to enhance competitive conditions in the Italian aviation market.
Details of the New Bases
Starting in spring 2025, easyJet plans to station five aircraft at Milan-Linate Airport (LIN) and three at Rome-Fiumicino Airport (FCO). This expansion is expected to create approximately 300 job opportunities across these two locations. The decision to expand into these airports is aimed at solidifying easyJet’s presence in Italy’s key cities, thus offering more travel options and competitive fares to its customers.
With these additions, easyJet will have a total of 38 aircraft based in Italy, spread across its four bases: Milan-Malpensa (MXP), Milan-Linate, Rome-Fiumicino, and Naples (NPL). The airline aims to serve more than 20 million customers annually, flying to and from 20 Italian airports.
Historical Context and Future Plans
Since its inception in 1998, easyJet has transported over 210 million passengers to and from Italian airports. Despite the new base at Linate, Milan-Malpensa will remain a critical hub, continuing as easyJet’s largest base in continental Europe. The airline celebrated a significant milestone at Milan-Malpensa recently, having served 100 million passengers since starting operations there.
Kenton Jarvis, easyJet’s CFO and incoming CEO, emphasized that the approval to establish bases in Milan and Rome will ensure that the Italian market remains vibrant and competitive. He highlighted that this move would enable easyJet to offer an expanded range of destinations and maintain low fares, which are beneficial for consumers traveling to and from Linate and Rome.
Lorenzo Lagorio, Country Manager Italy for easyJet, also commented on the expansion. He noted that easyJet has played a crucial role in democratizing air travel in Italy, enabling an increasing number of Italians to travel conveniently across Europe. He expressed enthusiasm about the potential for growth in Milan and Rome, which will not only create jobs but also provide more choices and options for customers. Lagorio also acknowledged the essential role of easyJet’s staff in achieving these milestones and looked forward to welcoming new crew members at the Linate and Fiumicino bases.