EasyJet is set to launch a new base at Southend Airport, significantly boosting travel options for British tourists. The budget airline’s expansion will see the introduction of six new routes, marking Southend as easyJet’s tenth airline base.

Starting next March, three 186-seat A320neo aircraft will be stationed at the Essex airport, flying to popular destinations including Turkey and Tunisia.

Currently, easyJet operates some routes from Southend, but this expansion will transform it into a fully-fledged base, similar to the one opened at Birmingham International Airport two months ago.

The new routes will include Pisa, Gran Canaria, Dalaman and Antalya, Marrakech, and Enfidha in Tunisia. This summer, easyJet will continue to offer flights from Southend to Alicante, Amsterdam, Faro, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, and Paris Charles de Gaulle.

Johan Lundgren, the chief executive of easyJet, expressed his enthusiasm for the new base. He said: “We are delighted to be announcing another three-aircraft base in the UK. This will create hundreds of jobs and provide more choice for consumers with new routes and package holidays.”

John Upton, the chief executive of London Southend Airport, also highlighted the demand for increased travel options: “This move is indicative of the demand from people in the east of London, Essex, and the wider East Anglia region who now have greater opportunities to choose to travel through our well-connected, quick and easy airport.”

The expansion at Southend is part of easyJet’s broader growth strategy, with the airline set to operate more flights from the UK than ever before. The company aims to fill more than 57 million seats this year, representing a 10 percent increase compared to last year.

However, this news comes as Gran Canaria plans to follow Tenerife’s example and impose a new tax on travellers amid growing backlash against tourists in Spain. Local authorities are considering imposing entry fees to Roque Nublo, one of the island’s most beautiful natural spots, in an attempt to control visitor numbers. A study has been commissioned to examine the implications and feasibility of the scheme, which will be ready in two months.

Antonio Morales, head of the Gran Canaria local authority, stressed the need for more effective control of the area. He explained that this initiative is part of a broader plan to protect the island’s natural spaces from environmental damage, including the Maspalomas Sand Dunes and the Bandama Caldera.

In a related development, it was announced on Monday that Johan Lundgren will step down as CEO in 2025 after seven years in the role. He will be succeeded by Kenton Jarvis, the current chief financial officer who joined the group in February 2021. EasyJet chairman Sir Stephen Hester praised Lundgren’s leadership: “He has done an excellent job as our chief executive since December 2017, steering the company through the immense challenges of the Covid period, and setting up a clear strategy and strong execution plan.”

Hester also expressed confidence in Jarvis: “His successor Mr Jarvis had impressed since joining easyJet in 2021, is fully bought in to the plan and will hit the ground running.”

The announcement of easyJet’s expansion and the forthcoming leadership change come as the company reported a reduced pre-tax loss of £350 million for the six months ending March 31, down from £411 million a year earlier, with expectations of strong profit growth for the full year.