EasyJet boss plots big move into Heathrow if third runway gets built
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The boss of easyJet said a third runway at Heathrow would open the door to the budget airline operating “at scale” for the first time at the UK’s biggest airport. New CEO Kenton Jarvis said he welcomed reports that Rachel Reeves is to give her backing to a major expansion at the west London hub as Heathrow had historically suffered a chronic shortage of slots.
He said it would provide a “unique opportunity to operate from Heathrow at scale” for the airline, which currently mainly uses Luton and Gatwick in London. Passengers would benefit from lower fares at an airport currently dominated by traditional flag carriers, Jarvis said adding “let’s see what happens next.”.
Jarvis also said he also supported a second full-time runway at Gatwick but said he hoped it would be mainly used to increase the resilience of the Sussex airport and “improve the customer experience” in an area of very congested airspace. The comments came as easyJet cut its losses by more than half for the latest quarter on the back of improved demand for flights and package holidays.
The budget airline reported a headline pre-tax loss of £61 million for the three months to December 31, down from £126 million a year earlier. It said this came after a 7% rise in passenger numbers for the period. Jarvis said: “Looking to this summer, we have seen continuing demand for easyJet’s flights and holidays where we have one million more customers already booked, with firm favourites like Palma, Faro and Alicante as well as new destinations like Tunisia and Cairo proving popular.
