EASYJEThas renewed its interest in buying Dutch charter carrier Air Holland.
The low-cost airline has put in an undisclosed offer for the Amsterdam-based carrier.
A buyout would give EasyJet additional slots at Amsterdam, three extra Boeing 737s to boost frequencies and valuable Boeing-trained pilots.
EasyJet has been considering setting up a mainland European base at Amsterdam to complement its Luton and Liverpool hubs.
The acquisition of Air Holland would allow it to achieve this goal.
An attempt last year to buy Air Holland failed after the carrier’s shareholders blocked the move.
An EasyJet spokesman said a business plan put in place by new shareholders last year, which effectively scuppered EasyJet’s plans, was not a success and the UK airline’s offer provided Air Holland’s owners with an opportunity to receive fresh capital.
He added EasyJet had no use for Air Holland’s four B757s and would return them to lessors.
There is no timescale for when a deal should be completed.
EasyJet will launch low-cost intra-European flights to major cities from Amsterdam if it sets up its third base at Schiphol airport.
Meanwhile, EasyJet’s Internet cafe subsidiary EasyEverything is to open new London premises in Trafalgar Square, Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road this winter. Others are planned for outside London and overseas.