Ray Webster, easyJet Chief Executive, today announced that Berlin Schönefeld would be the airline’s next European base.
Speaking alongside the State Secretary Ministry of Transport, Tilo Braune, Ray said that easyJet will operate on 11 routes to six countries, with six aircraft operating in the German capital – either permanently based in Berlin or drawing from other bases.
Services will start from May 2004 and are already on sale at easyJet.com 1. Locally, some 300-400 direct jobs and hundreds more indirectly will be created by easyJet’s activity.
The routes, all joining existing cities on the easyJet network, are London Luton, Liverpool, Bristol and Newcastle in the UK, Paris and Nice in France, Palma Majorca and Barcelona in Spain, Naples in Italy, Copenhagen in Denmark and Athens in Greece.
One way fares including all taxes and charges will start at EUR 25, representing a huge saving for customers compared to the high fares charged by the traditional airlines. The first flight (Berlin – London Luton) will start on 1 May 2004 and all 11 routes will be launched by the end of June, representing a formidable ramp-up of activity in only two months.
Showing the importance of easyJet’s announcement to the region, Ray and Herr Braune were accompanied by the CEO of Berlin International Airports, Dieter Johannsen-Roth, and two prominent politicians – Matthias Platzeck – Prime Minister of Land Brandenburg and Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor of Berlin.
Ray Webster said:
“We know a great deal about the German market following our analysis of Deutsche BA and it is clear that Berlin is already one of the most attractive inbound destinations in Europe. As the German economy returns to full strength and the European Union expands eastwards in 2004, Berlin is likely to be one of the major cultural and business growth markets of the future. With its large catchment, it will also be an important future origin market for easyJet.
“This is a key step in the planned growth of easyJet and the fact that we can start 11 new routes using six aircraft by opening up a single new airport underlines why we put so much emphasis on network density and the joining-the-dots element of our growth strategy.
“Earlier this year, we began a tender to seek those airports which wanted to be part of easyJet’s long-term future growth. A major part of this was to find partner airports which share easyJet’s values and are prepared to make their own business more efficient to reduce fares for passengers. In the case of Berlin, the long-term deal will ensure that both Berlin and easyJet can make the necessary investments in fast turnarounds and dedicated terminal facilities to ensure the Berlin base will be a success.
“This is just the beginning. Over the next few years, we will base more aircraft in Berlin, employ more people and operate more routes, turning the City orange and becoming Berlin’s number 1 low-cost airline.”
Of the 11 routes announced this morning, all are currently for sale at easyJet.com, except Berlin – Paris which will be made available as soon as the slot application process at either Charles de Gaulle or Orly is complete.
easyJet now offers over 500 daily flights on 125 routes from 39 airports in 36 cities. The airline employs some 3,500 people and has 75 aircraft. In the last 12 months it carried 20.3 million passengers.
Berlin Schönefeld is only 20 kilometres from central Berlin and is accessible by train in 28 minutes. Of the other airports in Berlin, Tempelhof will close permanently in October 2004, and all growth has been capped at Tegel, which will close permanently when the new Berlin Brandenburg International Airport at Schoenefeld opens (provisionally scheduled for 2009/2010).
Detailed breakdown of planned route frequencies:
route daily frequency
Berlin – London three
Berlin – Palma Majorca two
Berlin – Copenhagen two
Berlin – Paris two
Berlin – Liverpool one
Berlin – Bristol one
Berlin – Newcastle one
Berlin – Athens one
Berlin – Nice one
Berlin – Barcelona one
Berlin – Naples one
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November 5, 2003 at 5:00 pm