An easyJet aircraft has been named to help celebrate the 60th anniversary of Bristol airport.
The Airbus A319 has been named Spirit of Bristol to mark the airport’s milestone and comes 15 years since the airline started operations from Bristol in 2002.
The West Country airport is the airline’s largest UK base outside of London accounting for more than four million passengers in 2016 – an annual rise of 11% and up by a third on five years ago.
The budget carrier estimates two million of those passengers were travelling for business. The airline now operates up to 638 flights a week in and out of Bristol airport to 62 destinations in 18 countries.
The airport, which opened in May 1957, expects to handle a total of eight million passengers this year.
Airport chief executive Robert Sinclair said: “New aircraft technology, automation of passenger processes, digital disruption of established business models and, most importantly, the challenges of climate change all mean we will need to adapt and innovate as we write the next chapter in Bristol Airport’s history.
“Over the coming months we will be updating our existing Master Plan, setting out long-term forecasts and future infrastructure requirements, to ensure we are best placed to meet this demand and these challenges.
“The views of customers, employees, neighbours and other stakeholders will be essential in shaping the airport’s future so we will be consulting widely on our current thinking later this year.”
EasyJet UK country manager, Ali Gayward, said: “Bristol airport is our largest UK base outside of London, so we delighted to have unveiled the Spirit of Bristol aircraft at Bristol airport to mark its special milestone.
“We have seen increasing demand year on year at Bristol airport and, as the airport’s largest airline, we fly more than 4.2 million passengers annually and offer an unrivalled network of over 62 routes.
“In FY17 we will offer over 4.86 million seats – a 6.7% increase over 2016 and remain committed to growing in Bristol.”
Sinclair added: “EasyJet has played a prominent role in the airport’s recent history so we are delighted that an aircraft has been named ‘Spirit of Bristol’ in recognition of this long and successful partnership.
“As well as marking our 60th anniversary, the specially named A319 will help to spread the word about Bristol airport and the fantastic offer this region has for leisure and business visitors across easyJet’s extensive network.”