Passengers today praised easyJet’s arrival at Southend airport and said the budget carrier would put London’s sixth hub “on the map”.
The airline’s first flights took off for Barcelona, Belfast and Amsterdam after a £100 million airport revamp. Southend plans to serve two million passengers in the coming year and take on its Essex rival Stansted, plus Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and City airports.
Passengers on the fully booked 10.25am flight to Barcelona, among the first scheduled to leave, were given champagne, Southend rock and a certificate. Dan Raj, 51, with his wife and two children, said: “We live two minutes away. We could have walked but got a taxi because of the cases.
“We normally fly from Stansted or Gatwick but it’s going to be so popular here. It’s going to be very good for business and great for Southend, put us on the map. It will be great for tourism and leisure and for the Olympics.”
Anna Allen, 28, from nearby Leigh-on-Sea, rushed to be among the first to buy tickets for herself and her husband Sebastian, 27, because her grandparents — a pilot and a stewardess — met at the airport. She said: “As soon as the schedule came out we were determined to get on one of the first flights. It only cost us £9.80 in a taxi.”
Easyjet will fly to nine European destinations, including Malaga, Alicante and Ibiza, from as little as £17.99. But today’s launch was not without hiccups. The 10.25 take-off was delayed, with some passengers still waiting to board at 10.50. And while airport owner Stobart claims queuing for security will not top four minutes, there were check-in queues because not all desks were open.
Catherine Lynn, easyJet customer and revenue director, said bookings met the airline’s “high” expectations, adding: “The community is excited that this local airport is offering jobs and flights.”
