UK airline easyJet, which is already the leading low-cost carrier in Portugal, expects to grow passenger numbers from 1.5 million to 2.5 million per year and add up to ten new destinations to its existing 15 when it opens a permanent aircraft base in the country later this year.
The base at Lisbon Airport represents an investment of up to €300 million and is set to open during the 2011 winter season. It will be the airline’s 20th in Europe and was selected over a number of other European cities, says the airline,” because of its market potential”.
Carolyn McCall, Chief Executive of easyJet, says: “We are making it easier to visit this beautiful country. As one of Europe’s most attractive capital cities, Lisbon already attracts 3.6 million tourists and four million business travellers a year. The increase in easyJet aircraft based in Lisbon will stimulate demand and contribute to visitor numbers by over 1 million passengers, with clear benefits to the Portuguese economy.”
“We also look forward to giving the people of Portugal the opportunity to fly to new beach and city destinations,” McCall added. “Portugal has identified the need to improve aviation links with other European hubs and easyJet provides a service for all travel needs. We already carry 20% of business travellers across Europe and look forward to contributing to further economic growth.”
At a ceremony last year at Lisbon Airport when an easyJet A-319 aircraft ‘was christened Pride of Lisbon’ as a symbol of easyJet’s commitment to the Portuguese market, the VIP list was an indicator of the importance of the occasion. Doing the naming were easyJet’s McCall and Prime Minister Jose Sócrates, and attending were Paulo Campos, Secretary of State for Public Works; Bernardo Trindade, Secretary of State for Tourism; Antonio Costa, Mayor of Lisbon and President of the Lisbon Tourism Board, and Antonio Guilhermino Rodrigues, President of ANA Aeroportos de Portugal.
