A PARTIAL return of easyJet to Southend Airport “is not enough”

and leaves both workers and residents with a catch-22, campaigners fear.

The budget airline has announced flights will resume from May, with around six journeys per week.

However, the budget airline will not have a permanent base at the airport as it did previously, raising concerns over employment and the number of flights from the airport.

Carole Mulroney, councillor responsible for environment, culture, tourism and planning, said: “Obviously a base brings more employment and we will not get that element, but anything is an improvement on what’s there now.

“The flight numbers are small compared to what we did have, but we can only have what the industry can handle and it’s all still up the air with the pandemic.

“They do use quieter planes, and it is building on what’s there and utilising the airport more too.”

easyJet left Southend Airport last summer after previously setting up a base and growing to many flights each day.

The airport subsequently launched direct flights to Bergen in Norway with airline Widerøe, but this was quickly put on hold with the developing pandemic.

Mark Flewitt, 61, from Eastwood, said there is concern about jobs and the economic benefit.

The former councillor, who attended some of the rallies, said: “There is medium-term concern for staff and workers with the proposed return.

“It’s not going to help everyone who is out of work and facing tough times, but it will help some and take some pressure of them.

“There is the real element of Catch-22 for both workers and residents too. We need to encourage them to do more and it’s not enough.”

A spokesman for easyjet said: “We don’t currently have plans to base aircraft and crew at Southend. However we are pleased to be able to offer customers in the region more choice with new routes to Malaga and Palma next summer. And I think the benefits are returning to the Southend market for next summer which provides more affordable and easy connections to our customers across the region, as well as supporting the airport and jobs.”