easyjet to start Istanbul and Marrakech
 

and Rijeka in Croatia. Go now before the orange brigade get there :p

Another first as new markets beckon for easyJet
easyJet, Europe's leading low-fares airline, today announced an expansion into three new markets – all outside the EU.

From this summer, easyJet will be taking its familiar brand and famously low-fares to new customers in the bustling cities of Marrakech, Istanbul and to Rijeka, Croatia’s third-largest city.

Over the last 10 years easyJet has brought low-fares to 18 countries in Europe and expects to carry in the region of 35 million passengers this year. Today about one-third of Europe’s population live within one hour of an easyJet airport.

All three destinations should prove popular with passengers travelling for both business and leisure reasons that, until now, have had to put up with the high fares charged by the traditional airlines.

easyJet becomes the first major European low-fares airline to start services from London to the most vibrant cities of Turkey and Morocco and, in doing so, expands its operations into these wholly-new markets that are increasing their business links with Europe.

Andrew Harrison, easyJet Chief Executive, said:

“This is probably our most significant expansion since the start of our new routes to Central and Eastern Europe in May 2004. easyJet continues to seize opportunities and to stay ahead of the industry – both geographically and technically, as highlighted by our recent introduction of on-line check-in.

Croatia, Turkey and Morocco are forging an ever-closer relationship with the UK and Europe. As a consequence, the demand for low-fares to these countries is growing quickly, and easyJet will be in a unique position to benefit from this development.

Wherever we go low fares speak their own language and we look forward to bringing our unique combination of low-costs with care and convenience to the long-suffering passengers to Istanbul, Marrakech and to Rijeka who have had to put up with high fares for too long.”

easyJet will launch the following four routes this summer, seats will be on sale at www.easyjet.com from Friday 3 March.

ROUTE START DATE FREQUENCY ONE WAY FARES FROM
London Gatwick to Marrakech 4 July Daily £30.99
London Luton to Istanbul 29 June Daily £30.99
London Luton to Rijeka 30 June Four times weekly: mon, wed, fri, sat £25.99
Basel to Istanbul 24 May Four times weekly: Outbound - mon, thu, fri, sun Inbound – tue, fri, sat, mon €37.99

Excellent result for Marrakech.

This is a truly amazing place to visit. To date, it has also been a truly terrible place to get to.

The GB Airways flights go at useless times, and often stop in Casablanca. Air Maroc / Atlas Blue are better, but you really are tied down to the Thursday lunchtime flight out and Sunday PM return flights if you want a weekend away. I tried to book this for a group of us for mid Feb and the flights were around £300 each in Y booked a month in advance.

It is sad that Marrakech will soon by overrun by the Burberry-clad chav hordes, but I think many of them will be biting off more than they can chew if they think they can have a boozed up clubbing weekend in RAK ...

Also thumbs up to the Moroccan government, who could easily have blocked EZ from getting slots in order to support the state carrier. Croatia and Turkey had little choice given their desire to get into the EU and the 'open skies' policy that would be forced on them.

Quite, although the makers of Holidays From Hell will probably have enough material for the next few years..... :rolleyes:

They don't say which airport in Istanbul they'll serve.

Most of the (few) LCCs that go there use Sabi(t)ha airport (SAW) which is some distance from the city, and they tend to arrive/depart in the middle of the night.

Generally easyJet are good from this point of view, i.e. serving main airports, whereas it is Ryanair who tend to be the ones who fly to obscure places.

like "London" Luton ? :confused:

What great news about Marrakech! ^ And from LGW too, as I have decreed to NEVER fly from LTN again, EVER!

I'll be mouse in hand on Friday to book my £30 each way tickets, BA are so expensive on that route.

It's as close to central London as Gatwick (and waaay closer than STN).

Like London (Glasgow)...............?

Thought you lived near there! Seriously we flew out of Luton a couple of years ago and from SW London the journey both ways (admittedly not in rush hour) was only about 45 mins - about the same as LGW.

:D :D

Interesting. The RAK fares look good - though in recent sales it has been on offer for GBP160 or so on BA. Glad I am going this weekend though. ;) As I last visited in '93 when Inter-railing I am expecting some big changes.

RAK and IST must be some of the longest LCC flights ex UK?

good news about Istanbul... needs more competiton than BA and TA. stepdaddy will be happy!

also good to see that LGW-RAK will finally get a decent enough scheduled service...

Luton may look close to the green pastures of North London, but I can assure it might as well be another planet. :eek:

I would rather sit in traffic on the North Circular to get to LHR, than zip up to the M1 to Chavsville International.

I guess I booked too early with GB Airways - and going after EZY has started flights - for the october half term :td:

And at least we're not completely overrun by chav as we're flying into Fez on an open jaw.

curious though what prices they will offer though for the half term period, and how BA will stack up.

Whatever happens though I am looking forward to the trip. ^