EasyJet has been around for more than 30 years and pioneered the UK’s budget air travel transformation.
Here, the Press Association answers 10 questions about the airline.
– Who founded easyJet?
Greek Cypriot entrepreneur Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou created the airline, which he named after writing ideas on a napkin.
– Why did he do it?
After researching low-cost air travel in the US, he believed he could replicate the model in Europe.
– When was its first flight?
EasyJet’s inaugural flight was from Luton to Glasgow on November 10 1995.
– How much were the first easyJet fares?
Tickets were available from £29, which easyJet described as being the same as the price of a pair of jeans.
– When did easyJet float on the London Stock Exchange?
This happened on November 22 2000, just more than five years after its first flight.
It was initially valued at £777 million.
– How many passengers fly with easyJet?
EasyJet carried a total of 93.4 million passengers in the year to the end of September 2025.
– How many flights does it operate?
It operated nearly 576,000 flights in 2024/25.
– How significant has easyJet been in the UK?
It helped drive the growth of low-cost air travel, opening up foreign holiday destinations for millions more people.
– How big is easyJet’s UK operation?
It serves about 20 UK airports, carrying approximately 50 million passengers per year.
– How about its overall network?
It is one of Europe’s largest airlines, with 355 aircraft operating 1,207 routes, serving 164 airports in 38 countries.
