Easyjet announces closures at UK airports

This past year has been particularly bad for the airline industry with carriers losing money and staff threatening strike action, but low-cost airlines have done well. Easyjet recorded a growth of 12 per cent for the month of November compared to the same time last year, but have decided to cancel some routes and clear out of East Midlands Airport altogether.

The news that all flights from East Midlands has come as a bit of a shock, passengers and industry experts had no warning of the impending closures. As from the 5th January 2010 Easyjet will no longer be flying to far off shores. Those that have flights booked after this date are expected to be contacted by the budget carrier soon and offered a full refund or alternate flights from different UK airports.

Luton Airport is not escaping the wrath of the airline either as they to will lose some flight early next year. Easyjet will cut 20 per cent of their flights from their original home which include routes to Athens, Vienna and Cagliari and reduction on other destinations throughout Europe.

A spokesperson for Easyjet said they are not cutting the routes completely from the UK market, but that they wish to move the operations to more profitable airports. This may not be the case for the future as the British Government’s plan on reducing carbon emissions by 2050 does not work well with budget airlines. Expansion at smaller regional airports is expected to be blocked so that targets can be met, thus budget carriers will gain nothing by moving to these places now.