EasyJet plc : easyJet continues its expansion plans in Rome Fiumicino with the launch of five new routes

easyJet continues its expansion plans in Rome Fiumicino with the launch of five new routes

easyJet, the UK's largest airline which operates the best European network in Italy, has today announced the launch of five new routes from Rome Fiumicino. The five new routes are year-round services to Montpellier, Thessaloniki and Belgrade along with summer services to the popular islands of Menorca and Rhodes.

This move continues easyJet's expansion plan in Rome which will see it increasing its capacity by a third. In December the airline announced two new routes - a daily service to Prague and thrice-weekly services to Nantes, both of which will begin operations this spring.

Frances Ouseley, easyJet's Country Director for Italy, stated:

"This new announcement demonstrates easyJet's continued commitment not only to Italy, our third largest market, but also to increasing our presence in Rome Fiumicino. The expansion will enable easyJet to maintain its No.2 position at this key airport in Italy and further expand an already comprehensive range of European destinations."

With the launch of these new routes, easyJet now operates 33 routes to and from Rome Fiumicino, with a total of 154 routes operated to and from Italy. easyJet opened a base at Fiumicino in 2009 and currently carries three million passengers each year to and from the airport - this is expected to rise to four million annually through its expansion plans. 96% of easyJet's Italian customers say they would fly with easyJet again and one in four Italians now say easyJet is their preferred airline.

easyJet has also announced plans to launch a third base in Italy this year with a new base opening in Naples this March. The airline has also announced a 35% expansion of services to and from Catania in recent months. easyJet is the largest airline at Milan Malpensa, Venice and Naples. The airline currently has 25 aircraft based in Italy.

ENDS

For further information please contact the easyJet Press Office on 01582 525252 or visit www.easyJet.com

About easyJet:

easyJet operates Europe's No. 1 air transport network with a leading presence on Europe's top 100 routes and at Europe's 50 largest airports.

easyJet carries more than 60 million passenger annually, of which 10 million are travelling on business.

easyJet flies over 200 aircraft on more than 600 routes between over 130 airports in 30 countries. More than 300 million Europeans live within one hour's drive of an easyJet airport, more than any other airline.

The airline takes sustainability seriously. easyJet invests in the latest technology, operates efficiently and fills most of its seats which means that an easyJet passenger's carbon footprint is 22% less than a passenger on a traditional airline, flying the same aircraft on the same route.