easyJet, the UK-based low-fares airline, has recorded the busiest ski season in its history this year as more people than ever chose the airline’s ski routes.
With a 40 percent share of the UK ski market, easyJet carried 1.3 million passengers to ski destinations across Europe this season – 90,000 more than last year. A host of new routes, good ski conditions and a strong consumer demand have fuelled the growth in customer numbers, the airline said.
Sophie Dekkers, UK Country Director, easyJet, said: ‘We are pleased to announce record levels of demand from our customers who want to experience the best ski resorts across Europe. The rising popularity of ski holidays has given first half revenues a lift. Ski breaks provide our customers with an alternative to a winter sun holiday and helps provide the airline with a strong revenue stream in the winter months.
‘2016 has been our best ski season ever, helped by plenty of snow and good ski conditions this year. High profile sporting events such as the winter Olympics coupled with the ever increasing quality of ski resorts across Europe are helping to inspire first time skiers and contributing to the rise in popularity we are seeing amongst our customers for ski breaks.’
In 2015, easyJet strengthened its position adding new routes between Belfast and Lyon, London Luton and Innsbruck, as well as a new connection to Lyon from London Southend.
easyJet operates ski flight-services to Lyon, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Grenoble, Friedrichshafen, Turin and its largest gateway Geneva. On any Saturday in January, easyJet will have up to 119 flights and carry over 15,000 customers throughout the day into Geneva alone, easyJet said.
The airline operates ski flights from 14 UK airports including Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Newcastle, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol, London Luton, London Gatwick, London Southend, and Bournemouth. The services include 10 daily flights between London Luton and Geneva, and an additional 11 daily flights between London Gatwick and Geneva, its two largest UK airports operating ski flights.
