easyJet (U2, London Luton) is set to increase its annual passenger numbers at London Stansted from the current 2.8million to 6million over the next five years following the signing of a framework agreement with Stansted’s new owner, Manchester Airports Group. MAG took over the airport in late February. As the UK’s fourth biggest airport, Stansted currently handles around 18million passengers per year year, but with approval to serve 35million annually. Using eight aircraft, easyJet currently serves 27 destinations around Europe out of Stansted. Ryanair (FR, Dublin Int'l) is also expected to be announcing a similar agreement with MAG shortly with expansion planned again from September.

easyJet (U2, London Luton) has ordered three additional A320ceos from Airbus Industrie (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac), the European aircraft manufacturer has announced. The three aircraft will supplement a further fifty-four of the type the British LCC currently operates. easyJet also has 140 A319-100s.

easyJet (U2, London Luton) will launch twice weekly flights from Rome Fiumicino to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion with effect from September 24, 2013. The route, the LCC's fifth destination from Tel Aviv after Basle/Mulhouse/Freiburg, Geneva, London Luton and Manchester Int'l, will operate using an A319-100. easyJet has also mentioned Milan Malpensa, Paris CDG, Nice and Berlin Schönefeld as other possible destinations to see service from Tel Aviv in the long run as Israel opens up its skies to European Union carriers.

easyJet (U2, London Luton) could become the first carrier to operate flights out of Berlin Brandenburg Int'l if the airport's director, Hartmut Mehdorn, has his way. According to German tabloid, Bild, Mehdorn has called for a phased opening of the airport with a 350-meter long terminal wing known as the North Pier, built for budget airlines, set to open in October 2013. In response, easyJet have tacitly said they are "very keen to move early" from their current base at Berlin Schönefeld (on the other side of the runway). Originally planned as an overall replacement for Berlin Schönefeld, Berlin Tegel and the now decommissioned Berlin Tempelhof, Berlin Brandenburg was set to open in 2010, but owing to numerous design flaws and construction defects, has had to delay its opening four times; the latest now slated for 2014.

Aurigny Air Services (GR, Guernsey) says it is considering deploying larger aircraft onto its Guernsey to London Gatwick route following news that Flybe. (BE, Exeter) is to offload its entire slot portfolio at Gatwick to easyJet (U2, London Luton) for USD30million. The Guernsey Treasury and Resources Department is the sole shareholder in the airline and said it is considering leasing or buying aircraft outright to help service the route, seen as a vital lifeline to the British economic and financial hub. Aurigny currently operates 34 flights per week to Gatwick from Guernsey using its fleet of three ATR72-200s and -500s.