easyJet celebrated its 28th birthday this year and has come a long way from its modest beginnings in Luton. Now boasting over 180 destinations across its European and North African network, easyJet is one of the best examples of how to run a low-cost carrier. With its fleet of over 330 all-Airbus A320-family aircraft, easyJet is currently in the midst of its busiest-ever summer - let's take a look at the airline's fascinating journey over the past three decades.

Humble beginnings

The airline was founded in March 1995 by Greek-Cypriot entrepreneur Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou. The businessman chose the modest town of Luton in the United Kingdom as the place to start his mission of offering low-fare flights in Europe.

In the winter of the same year, easyJet launched its first two flights across the UK. The route of Luton to Glasgow began on November 10th, before Luton to Edinburgh was launched on November 24th. The flight cost was as low as £29 ($36) one way, which was an extremely attractive offer at the time.

The launch of these flights was backed by a memorable advertising campaign that claimed fares were the same price as a pair of jeans. Images of typical 1990s-style, baggy jeans were flashed across the commercials, along with the airline's phone number. This number was also splashed across the livery of aircraft used by the airline early in its history to help promote the brand.

By reinvesting the returns made on these local routes, the company took delivery of its first wholly-owned plane - a Boeing 737-300. This Boeing 737 was delivered in April 1996 - to mark the milestone, easyJet launched its first international services, with Amsterdam chosen as its first destination outside the UK.

The low-cost carrier then opened its second UK base at Liverpool Airport in the autumn of 1997. The following year, the brand took advantage of the internet wave and started promoting bookings on easyJet.com. The site's URL soon replaced the airline's phone number on the liveries of their newer Boeing 737-300s.

European expansion

The carrier would eventually welcome over 80 Boeing 737s during the 90s and early-2000s, which the Airbus A320-family would eventually replace. During this period, the airline had its eye on international expansion, which would help propel it toward more significant growth.

easyJet invested in Swiss charter operation, TEA Basel AG, changing its name to "easyJet Switzerland." Here, the carrier launched services from Geneva to Nice, Amsterdam, and Barcelona. These routes became the first easyJet services flown entirely outside the UK.

Brand recognition

easyJet's popularity was catalyzed by the television show, Airline - this ITV documentary showed potential customers candid footage of operations at Luton Airport. This show undoubtedly helped the airline's brand recognition grow as it was shown during peak hours on terrestrial television.

Throughout the next decade, Sir Stelios' charismatic and transparent personality helped the brand connect with its customers. The founder was eventually welcomed into the UK Travel and Hospitality Hall of Fame in May 2004. During this time, the executive ordered 120 Airbus A319s to add to his growing fleet. Ten years after its formation, easyJet received its 100-millionth passenger in May 2005. Subsequently, the firm became the first major low-cost airline to offer online check-in for UK passengers.

By 2010, the low-cost airline reached 500 itineraries and was voted the Best Low-Fares Airline for the tenth year in a row at the Business Traveller magazine awards. The firm capitalized on this growth by launching flexible prices for business passengers and announcing carbon emission reduction procedures.

Sir Stelios used the brand's recognizability to form other products for his broader easyGroup holdings. These products include bus services, car hire, internet services, hotels, and letting agencies. The entrepreneur's persona and drive have helped his airline grow into one of the most prolific low-cost carriers in the world.

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Stelios would later have a falling out with the carrier's leadership and has been absent from the carrier's day-to-day operations since 2010. His share in the airline dropped from 25.3% to 15.3% in 2021, which means he no longer wields board veto power and essentially lost his grip on the company he founded.

Pandemic woes

Over the pandemic, easyJet racked up over £2 billion in losses over two years, and things were understandably looking bleak. 2020 was gearing up to be a record-breaking year for the carrier, but by March, it had grounded the entirety of its 300+ fleet, followed by its first-ever annual loss in 25 years of operation.

A large fleet of easyJet aircraft on the apron at Berlin Tegel Airport.
Photo: Markus Mainka/Shutterstock

The carrier managed to stay afloat - partly thanks to achieving £500 million in cost savings - and towards the end of 2022, booking trends started picking up. The airline has hit its stride again in 2023 and is presently enjoying its busiest-ever summer, exceeding its 2019 capacity by around 9%.

Despite recording a pre-tax loss of over £500 million for the six months ending March 2023, easyJet is currently on course to exceed its 2023 financial outlook and recorded a third-quarter pre-tax profit of £203 million. Load factors are up from 78% to 88% year-on-year, and it has made over £1 billion more in revenue over the first six months.

What does the future hold for easyJet?

With a profitable full year almost certainly on the horizon, easyJet has ambitious fleet modernization plans. It now has over 160 aircraft on order with Airbus, and one-fifth of its fleet comprises A320neo-family jets. Like many other carriers globally, easyJet has committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 - the airline is investing heavily in hydrogen technology, believing it to be the future of short-haul flying.

An easyJet Airbus A321neo just after takeoff.
Photo: Airbus

Interestingly, the carrier released a report titled 'easyJet 2070: The Future Travel Report' detailing its predictions for the next half-century. These include improved onboard seats featuring smart materials that adapt to passengers' shape and temperature. It has also predicted 3D-printed food, biometric 'heartbeat' passports, and 'time-traveling' haptic suits that let you experience the past in virtual reality.

How often have you flown with easyJet? Where does the airline rank in the list of your favorites? Let us know in the comments.

  • Easyjet
    easyJet
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    U2/EZY (UK) | EC/EJU (Europe) | DS/EZS (Switzerland)
    Airline Type:
    Low-Cost Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, Geneva Airport, London Gatwick Airport, London Luton Airport, Milan Malpensa Airport
    Year Founded:
    1995
    CEO:
    Johan Lundgren