EasyJet traffic rises 8% in November, announces new German domestic routes

Budget airline EasyJet reported an 8.1% jump in passenger numbers in November on Wednesday as the load factor ticked higher.

Traffic last month rose to 5.35m from 4.95m in November last year as the load factor - which gauges how full the planes are - edged up to 92.3% from 89.7%.

On a rolling 12-month basis, passenger numbers were up 10.3% to 81.33m and the load factor increased to 92.9% from 91.3%.

The airline also announced several new domestic routes across Germany as it takes on Lufthansa after revealing in October that it plans to take over assets from collapsed Air Berlin. These include four domestic routes connecting Berlin with Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich and Stuttgart. EasyJet will also add 15 international destinations, including flights up to five times a day to key cities like Vienna and Zurich, as well as regular connections to destinations like Mallorca and Catania.

The carrier said it will operate the leading short-haul network at Tegel connecting passengers to and from destinations across Germany and the rest of Europe. The airline already transports more than 5.3m people to and from Berlin each year through its existing base at Berlin Schoenefeld which opened in 2004.

Managing director Thomas Haagensen said: "We're pleased to be announcing our schedule from Tegel from January to March 2018 today. Our passengers have a great choice of Germany and Europe’s most popular destinations with fares starting from just €42 per person.

“EasyJet is proud to deliver more competition and lower fares to passengers in Germany, particularly on domestic routes where there is currently limited choice. Our schedule from Tegel also delivers excellent value for business passengers who will benefit from first wave departures enabling day trips to get passengers back home by dinnertime."