The chief executive of easyJet holidays has said the operator is on track to grow its customer numbers by at least 25% this year, buoyed by the launch of its 10th base at Southend airport.
Speaking as the operator and airline celebrated the launch on Monday (March 31), Garry Wilson said the move would play a “critical role” in helping easyJet’s in-house tour operation achieve its goal of becoming the UK’s largest travel company.
Wilson pointed to a ten-fold increase in passenger numbers in the five years the company has existed – from 300,000 when it was launched in 2019 to a projected three million this summer – as well as its most recent results, to demonstrate its continued growth.
“If you look at our Q1 results, we grew by about 35%. We’ve said we’ll grow by at least 25% for the overall year and there’s no reason to think we won’t with the way sales are shaping up,” he said.
EasyJet holidays extended its Atol by 33% year on year in October to just above three million – the biggest increase of any company – and Wilson remains confident in the decision after Tui’s UK managing director said he was satisfied with his company’s decision to hold summer volumes.
More: EasyJet holidays outlines efforts to make sustainable breaks ‘mainstream’
However, he said the company will not “slavishly” work towards filling every airline seat and would instead prioritise “sustainable growth”.
“What we try to do [when renewing Atol] is take a very optimistic view on how the market could grow and put a little bit on top so we know we’re comfortably within that,” he said.
“We won’t slavishly go to that number; what I’m focused on is sustainable and commercial growth. The margin is what’s important to me.”
Wilson added he is “hugely optimistic for this summer and going forward” following the operator’s launch at Southend, where it will base three aircraft operating 20 routes this summer.
“When you get into an environment where customers are looking for value, and you’re cheaper 75% of the time than your competitors, it puts you in a very good position,” he said.
“We’re seeing that in the demand coming through and in our passenger satisfaction scores.”
He believes the trade in the area has a “massive opportunity” to capitalise on the move, believing agents are “massively engaged” in the launch.
“There’s a real community feel in Southend; people are proud of the airport and they are getting behind easyJet coming here,” he said.
“That’s translating into the high street where agents are really behind us and love that they can now sell holidays from their local airport, rather than other London airports. That is showing in the sales.”
He added: “We’re seeing real engagement [from agents] and it’s a massive opportunity from them.”
EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis, who replaced Johan Lundgren in the role in January, said the biggest barrier to the airline’s growth this year would likely come in the form of air traffic control issues across Europe.
“We saw quite a lot of under-staffing at ATCOs around Europe last year. A number of them have said they are looking to make improvements but I think that will be where the main challenge will come from,” he said.
“We’ve had the added challenge of Gatwick [air traffic control issues] over the past few years but training and recruitment there has gone well, so they’re better staffed to cope [this summer].”
Despite this, Jarvis shares Wilson’s optimism that the airline’s move into Southend – which he said has a catchment area “almost the size of Switzerland” – will help the companies achieve their ambitious growth targets.
“EasyJet is responsible for a third of all UK leisure travel growth this summer and the opening of our Southend base continues our growth trajectory,” he said.
“It further consolidates our position as the UK’s largest leisure airline and drives easyJet holidays’ rapid growth.”