Liverpool celebrates low-cost milestone

Liverpool airport is this week celebrating 10 years of easyJet flights as the city gears up for an even busier year next year as European Capital of Culture.

Since its first flight from Liverpool on 27 October 1997, easyJet has carried over 17.5 million passengers from the airport. It now operates eight aircraft to 19 destinations from Liverpool.

''easyJet's arrival in Liverpool has played a critical role in putting Liverpool in the heart of Europe and Europe in the heart of Liverpool. The ease with which we can reach out to the continent via the airport does a huge amount for the city's economic development and profile right across Europe,” says Flo Clucas of Liverpool City Council.

It is estimated that easyJet’s investment in the region is in excess of £160 million. Demonstrating its commitment to the area, next month the airline will launch a new route from Liverpool to Lisbon, and in January next year will begin flights to Innsbruck in Austria.

In the summer easyJet once again became the largest operator at Liverpool, overtaking rival Ryanair as it carried almost 700,000 passengers between June and August. Another low-cost operator, WizzAir which specialises in flights to eastern Europe, is also becoming a major player at Liverpool.

In September Liverpool airport celebrated another major achievement when it was named UK Airport of the Year at the annual Travel Trade Gazette awards.

Written by: Nick Purdom

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