Easyjet is to open a new base at Amsterdam Schipol airport which it claims will lead to lower fares and increased flights for passengers flying out of the Dutch capital.
The airline said the base, which is due to open in spring 2015, will enable it to fly an additional 600,000 passengers in 2015, a 16 per cent year-on-year increase.
Three A320 aircraft will be based at Amsterdam Schipol, which will enable it to offer “more early morning departures” and expand the number of cities it operates to, Easyjet’s CEO Carolyn McCall said in a press conference.
Amsterdam is already one of the airline’s most successful network points with more than 3.5 million passengers flying annually to and from 21 destinations.
The announcement marks Easyjet’s first ever base in the Netherlands and the airline said it will “further strengthen” its long-term position at Schipol, where it holds a 9 per cent market share.
McCall said the base is the next step in Easyjet’s “long-term contribution” to Dutch aviation. “Today’s announcement marks the beginning of a new programme of growth at Schiphol. We have built a strong number two position here which we now need to consolidate and grow.
She added: “One million business travellers already fly with easyJet to and from Schiphol – around one third of our total number of passengers. Our latest expansion plans at Schiphol will only help grow this number.”
Amsterdam will become the airline’s 26 network base.
Easyjet also confirmed it will start operating six weekly flights to Hamburg from Amsterdam, starting in November.
Easyjet.com