Easyjet holidays carryings are expected to rise by more than 500,000 this year as consumers prioritise cost-effective beach breaks.
The forecast rise from 1.1 million in 2022 to between 1.6 million to 1.7 million is being fuelled by rising demand for value destinations such as Turkey and Egypt.
EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said growth in the tour operating arm was unrestricted as it followed the overall budget carrier’s network.
His comments came as he reported three consecutive overall record-breaking booking weekends this month with demand for holidays also strong to the Greek islands and Spain.
Lundgren was speaking in the wake of a trading update which revealed that easyJet holidays was more than 60% sold for the summer, double the previous growth projections of 30%.
He claimed that people would struggle to find anyone offering deals at a cheaper price than easyJet holidays, pointing out that research had shown that consumers were prioritising discretionary spend on holidays over the next 12 months after travel was restricted due to the pandemic.
The airline expects to return to pre-pandemic 2019 capacity levels by the summer peak period and has more than half of its fares on sale for under £50.
He played down concerns over a repeat of last year’s airport disruption following the sudden dropping of travel curbs, saying he felt “confident” about the airline’s resilience but the situation was being monitored on a day to day basis.
Suppliers such as ground handlers are now ahead in their recruitment processes than they were last year.
“Nobody should be complacent but the situation is much better,” Lundgren said. “Everyone is better prepared.”