EasyJet shifts Spanish flights from UK to Germany

Exclusive: ‘Over the past week we have added 150,000 further seats to our intra-European network,’ says airline

Britain’s biggest budget airline is moving capacity for Spanish flights from the UK to Germany.

In response to the continuing severe restrictions on international travel from the UK, easyJet has switched flights to continental Europe. Some aircraft that were expected to connect British airports with Palma in Mallorca have been switched to Berlin.

A spokesperson for easyJet said: “We are seeing European governments progressively opening up using frameworks in place which enable travel and much of it restriction-free.

“This relaxation and removal of restrictions has sparked a positive booking momentum across Europe with the majority of our bookings showing a strong swing towards Europe – when in normal times it would be a 50-50 split with the UK.

“We are fortunate that we are able to redirect flying on our European network, for example we have moved capacity from the UK to Palma to Berlin-Palma flying.

“Over the past week we have added 150,000 further seats to our intra-European network.

“Europe is demonstrating that a safe reopening of travel is possible and so we continue to urge the UK government to do so urgently so our customers in the UK can reunite with loved ones or travel for a much-needed break.”

An expected easing of travel restrictions to and from the UK on 3 June instead saw tougher rules, with Portugal moved from the “green list” to the “amber list” – requiring 10 days of self-isolation and multiple PCR tests.

Announcing the tightened restrictions, the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said: “The public has always known travel will be different this year and we must continue to take a cautious approach to reopening international travel in a way that protects public health and the vaccine rollout.”

All other European nations except Gibraltar and Iceland are also on the amber list.

European airlines are deploying bigger aircraft on holiday routes. Demand from Germany for Mallorca is so strong that Lufthansa is deploying Boeing 747 Jumbo jets from Frankfurt and wide-bodied Airbus A350s from Munich to Palma.

LOT Polish Airlines is sending wide-bodied Boeing 787s from Warsaw to the Greek islands.