EasyJet has issued an update to any Brits heading to Spain, Greece or Portugal. The budget airline has warned that air fares will rise by the end of the summer due to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Kenton Jarvis, the chief executive of easyJet, described the situation as « unavoidable ». He explained how flights to Turkey, Cyprus and Egypt have seen the biggest drop in bookings while hotspots such as Spain, Greece and Portugal were « holding up pretty firmly ». Mr Jarvis was speaking at Newcastle Airport where easyJet has reopened a hub after pulling out during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
As reported by Birmingham Live, he said: « We have seen a drop in bookings. If it’s the same as the Ukraine crisis or after the Hamas attacks on Israel, that tends to lasts about six weeks, until, terrible though it is, the news is off the front pages. »
He continued: « Luckily most European airlines are extremely well hedged. You can still get a price of $1,000 in six months – the view of the markets is that fuel comes down in price. But the reality is that prices will start feeding in to the consumer over the back end of summer. »
EasyJet will now have three stationed Airbus A320 aircraft at Newcastle Airport. They are expected to serve up to 800,000 travellers a year with at least 140 jobs created for pilots, cabin crew and engineers.
Passengers will have the choice of multiple destinations with frequent flights available. The new routes will focus on hotspots in southern Europe and the Mediterranean, as well as Turkey and Egypt.
However, given the current war in Iran. Mr Jarvis warned that easyJet could shift flights elsewhere. Flights to Turkey, Cyprus and Egypt could be impacted.
Kim McGuinness, Mayor of North East England, said: « Tourism is a key part of my growth plans for the region and why I’m pleased to welcome easyJet’s investment back into our region, and the strength in our region’s tourism that it represents. »
easyJet chief of communications, Sophie Dekkers, added: « If the train journey is two-and-a-half hours or less, we don’t operate a flight. »
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