As EasyJet marks three decades in operation, the budget airline has revealed that its current starting fares represent less than half the price customers paid when the carrier first took flight in 1995.
Making Travel Affordable for Millions
The airline's most accessible tickets now begin at just £26, a significant decrease from the £29 introductory fare offered thirty years ago. When adjusted for inflation, those original tickets would cost £58 in today's money, making contemporary pricing effectively less than half what passengers paid historically.
This commitment to affordability has enabled EasyJet to transport approximately 15 million passengers throughout the last year alone. These travellers contributed substantially to the UK's economic landscape, spending an impressive £9.7 billion across the nation.
Driving Economic Growth Nationwide
EasyJet's operations have generated a remarkable £21 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) to the UK economy while supporting 243,600 jobs. This economic contribution translates to approximately £300 in GVA for every UK resident.
The airline's impact extends well beyond London, with 58% of inbound passengers arriving at airports outside the capital Kenton Jarvis, EasyJet's Chief Executive Officer, reflected on the airline's mission: "Very few companies remain as close to their roots as EasyJet and now, in our 30th year, our mission remains to democratise travel – always aiming to make flying easy and affordable." He emphasized the company's pride in "the significant contribution that EasyJet and our people's unwavering commitment to making travel easy and affordable has had - not just for the UK economy, jobs and skills but for our society as a whole." Jarvis also highlighted the airline's dual focus on affordability and sustainability, noting that "our long heritage of highly efficient operations has not only kept fares low, but paved the way for our focus on sustainability, where we are championing innovative solutions to help lower our impact on the environment." The CEO concluded with a forward-looking statement: "It is also crucial we manage this transition effectively to ensure flying never reverts back to being the preserve of only the rich. This focus remains at the heart of the airline which will ensure many more people can reap the social and economic benefits that travel and tourism bring over the next 30 years and beyond." To commemorate its 30th anniversary, the airline recreated its inaugural flight from Luton to Glasgow with a crew comprised entirely of 30-year-olds, symbolizing the connection between the company's history and its future.A Vision for Accessible Air Travel
