EasyJet to fly from Stobart's Southend Airport

16th Jun 2011 07:10

Budget airline easyJet is to start operating flights from Southend Airport in Essex next year, the airport's owner, logistics firm Stobart, has announced.The flights will start in April, ahead of the London Olympics, and will begin flying to about 10 destinations including Barcelona and Ibiza in Spain and Faro in Portugal. Easyjet will base three planes at the airport and is expected to fly about 800,000 passengers a year, which will see the annual number of people who pass through the airport soaring to nearly 1m.Stobart said it is at an advanced stage of its investment plan for the airport."The airport offers reduced flight times, a fast terminal experience and a connecting station with up to 8 trains an hour travelling into London in around 50 minutes," the company said. "In addition, LSA is in a prime location to service the London Olympics in 2012 with a fast, direct train service to Stratford and the Olympic stadium."The airport has its own railway station which is a 53-minute journey from London Liverpool Street, Stobart said. Southend Airport currently operates flights to Jersey and to Galway and Waterford in Ireland.---RG