EasyJet is set to pay 40 million euros (around $46 million) for leasing 25 Airbus A320 aircraft and securing takeoff and landing slots at Berlin Tegel Airport, as announced by the Luton-based budget airline on Friday. Alongside this deal, EasyJet has started a recruitment drive to hire about 1,000 of AirBerlin’s pilots and cabin crew.
With this acquisition, EasyJet, which currently operates solely from Berlin Schoenefeld airport, will become the leading airline in the German capital. This expansion allows EasyJet to run the top short-haul network at Tegel, offering flights to various destinations across Germany and the rest of Europe.
This agreement with EasyJet, pending regulatory approval, could alleviate some concerns related to Lufthansa’s dominance by introducing significant competition in the domestic German aviation market.
Beyond Germany, EasyJet is also eyeing opportunities related to the collapse of U.K. competitor Monarch Airlines Ltd. Monarch, which operated 35 aircraft to locations like Spain and Portugal, ceased operations in early October, leaving valuable takeoff slots at airports where EasyJet is based, including Luton and London Gatwick.