SOUTHEND Airport has revealed it is “on track” to beat its 2019 passenger performance and is “in talks with existing and new airlines” for new routes.

Prior to the pandemic, which wiped out the travel industry and closed easyJet’s base at the airport, two million people passed through the airport to jet off abroad.

Now, it claims they are on-route to beating that number and “expect to grow beyond those levels in the coming years”, as well as adding new destinations for travellers.

Calls have been growing for easyJet to reopen its base at Southend Airport and add extra flights to top European destinations after it was revealed the budget airline will lose 90 flights a week from Gatwick.

It comes as Southend unveiled its largest winter schedule in four years with flights to ten destinations - Palma, Malaga, Amsterdam, Faro, Paris, Alicante, and Geneva, Grenoble, Bourgas and Lapland.

Southend resident Julie Oatley said: “It’s exciting news because I used to use Southend all the time to go to Dublin as my daughter lives near to there.

“But as the flights stopped, I now must go all the way to Stansted, which is very difficult given I need to take buses.

“For people always popping off, it’s lovely to have that airport.

“I hope Dublin will come up in discussions with these new route talks because it’ll make my life so much easier.”

According to the airport’s new one minute reads newsletter, which aims to communicate news on growth and other developments, “tens of thousands” of people have travelled through the airport this year.

Kevin Buck, Conservative councillor responsible for highways, transport and parking, said: “This gives me the reassurance that Southend Airport is bouncing back after a difficult few years.

“The airport is a significant asset, as well as an employer, in the city, and the developing success of the airport will mean it can thrive once again.

“This is very much welcome news, and I really hope the airport will get back to pre-pandemic times with many airlines flying out from there.”