EasyJet remains in expansion mode and is laying the groundwork to achieve this over the coming years, according to the UK low-cost carrier’s CE Johan Lundgren. Lundgren said that “if the conditions and price are right, we are absolutely going to explore those opportunities [to expand]”. He draws a sharp contrast with certain unnamed rivals “who said [last year that] ‘We are going to grow this and that’ and it turned out to be nonsense”. Lundgren characterises EasyJet as being a more careful, canny operator which has used the Covid-19 pandemic to improve its position at prime facilities such as London Gatwick, a strategy that he foresees will enable it to bounce back when the market conditions allow. ”EasyJet is certainly going to look at growth when it’s the right time to do so,” he says. In the near term, he is bullish on the prospects of a summer recovery, noting a sharp difference with last year thanks to the vaccine rollout across Europe. “I still have strong hopes that we can still see a strong summer, but it all comes back to the need for clarity about the restrictions that will be in place,” he says, reaffirming his belief that most of Europe should be placed onto the UK’s ‘green list’ from 17 May, action that would enable travel to restart at scale. In common with several industry figures, Lundgren cites the high cost of PCR testing as a key concern.<br/>
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UK regional carrier Stobart Air is to be sold to an Isle of Man-based investor, Ettyl, which is also acquiring the northern UK’s Carlisle Lake District airport. Stobart Air, which operates regional services under a franchise arrangement with Irish carrier Aer Lingus, and the airport are being divested by aviation and energy company Esken – formerly known as Stobart Group before a name change in February. Ettyl says it intends to retain all staff currently employed by the airline and the airport, and aims to detail development plans over the next few months. “[We see] significant opportunities for increased regional connectivity as economies recover from the impacts caused by the pandemic and return to stability across the UK and Ireland,” says Ettyl CE Jason Scales. The details of the transaction which interlinks the airline, the airport and the aircraft leasing company Propius, are complex. Story has full details.<br/>