EASYJET PLC 
By From Spring 2014, easyJet will be launching a number of new routes from Rome Fiumicino airport including Prague, Nantes, Menorca (Mahon) and Rhodes and adding extra flights to and from a number of destinations.
The announcement is a further demonstration of easyJet's commitment to Italy and follows the launch of a new easyJet base in Naples (easyJet's third base in Italy) from March 2014, the recent 35% expansion of services to and from Catania and the breaking of the Alitalia monopoly on the important Linate - Fiumicino route.
Carolyn McCall, easyJet's Chief Executive, explained the airline's strategy:
"Today's announcement demonstrates our commitment to this key market. Over 13.5 million passengers flew with us to, from and within Italy last year and today's news means that we will be providing more Italians with our friendly service, low fares and the best network of flights across Europe.
"We are the second biggest airline at Fiumicino, carrying over 3 million passengers per year and these expansion plans ensure the maintenance of that position.
"With the other announcements about Italy we have made in recent weeks this means that we will continue to provide passengers with the best European network of any airline operating in Italy."
Frances Ouseley, easyJet's Country Director for Italy, gave more details on the expansion plans:
"easyJet will expand its capacity to and from Fiumicino by a third in 2014. We will launch a number of brand new services including Prague, Nantes, Menorca, and Rhodes.
"In addition, we will increase services to many of our existing routes such as five more weekly services on Rome Fiumicino-London Gatwick and Rome Fiumicino-Athens will become twice daily in the summer, while extra services will be added to popular destinations such as Crete (Heraklion), Palma and Mykonos.
"easyJet's base in Fiumicino was established in 2009 and has six aircraft. These expansion plans will see easyJet carry more than 4 million passengers a year to and from Italy's capital.
"easyJet aims to make travel easy and affordable for our passengers and in doing so we have built loyalty as well as market share in recent years.
"Everyone has heard of easyJet in Italy but what's more important is that when they fly with us they love the experience. As a result, 96% of our Italian customers say they would fly with us again and one in four Italians now say easyJet is their preferred airline."
Flights will go on sale in the near future and the new and additional services will roll out during Spring 2014.
easyJet is the largest airline at Milan Malpensa, Venice and Naples and the second largest at Rome Fiumicino and Olbia.
easyJet has expanded its capacity in Italy by 6% in the last year serving 17 Italian airports and providing 14 domestic and 133 routes across Europe to 20 countries. easyJet has 25 aircraft based in Italy.
easyJet employs around 900 pilots, cabin crew and other staff in Italy. All are employed on Italian terms and conditions.
ENDS
For further information please contact the easyJet Press Office on 01582 525252 or log onto www.easyjet.com
About easyJet:
easyJet operates Europe's No. 1 air transport network with a leading presence on Europe's top 100 routes and at Europe's 50 largest airports.
easyJet flies over 200 aircraft on more than 600 routes between over 130 airports in 30 countries. More than 300 million Europeans live within one hour's drive of an easyJet airport, more than any other airline.
The airline takes sustainability seriously. easyJet invests in the latest technology, operates efficiently and fills most of its seats which means that an easyJet passenger's carbon footprint is 22% less than a passenger on a traditional airline, flying the same aircraft on the same route.
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