easyJet today announces three new routes for winter 2003. Services from London Gatwick to Marseilles, Toulouse and Bilbao will start on 26 October 2003 with return fares starting at GBP 40.98, including all taxes and charges. This brings the number of easyJet routes from Gatwick to 17, with seats going on sale from Thursday 28 August 2003.
easyJet is completing its network development plans for the next 12 months. The airline will bring 16 aircraft into service before the end of September 2004 and will continue its stated policy of expanding the range of flights wholly within continental Europe, growing its domestic UK network, and linking convenient local UK airports to the most attractive and popular European airports. The airline will pay particular attention to growth from London where it intends to increase the size of its operation by up to five aircraft, a growth of 15% in the next year, offering customers the opportunity to take advantage of low fares on even more routes.
easyJet will focus much of this growth from Luton. The airline currently operates a total of 12 aircraft, offering 17 routes to about four million passengers each year. The airline intends to increase its operation by at least two aircraft and add a number of new routes to both existing points on the easyJet network and completely new destinations. Negotiations with a range of airports around Europe are currently ongoing.
Ray Webster, easyJet Chief Executive, said:

“Our network development plans are proceeding well and our recent airport tender produced an excellent response. We are currently in the advanced stage of negotiations with airports across Europe which will provide us with a range of exciting new expansion opportunities.”
“Many of these new airports are likely to be served from Luton which will see a significant degree of expansion over the next 12 months. Having focussed on other growth priorities in the last few years (such as Gatwick and Paris), it is now time to expand the benefits of the easyJet business model to millions more passengers in the Luton catchment who will be attracted by our unique combination of the lowest fares to the most attractive and popular European destinations.”
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