FREQUENT flyers who have been using Southend Airport for decades have praised the new route to Paris amid growing confidence that the airport could return to its former heavy heights.

Passengers are celebrating the announcement and are already looking to book getaways to the French capital. 

This year, easyJet is providing flights to Palma de Mallorca, Faro, Malaga, and Amsterdam, a 30 per cent increase of total flights over last year’s offering.

READ MORE >> Southend Airport announces flights to new route with easyJet (all year round)

However, this falls short of the previous 40 plus routes  on offer before the pandemic. 

Wendy Barnes, a 65-year-old from Eastwood, has already booked Malaga and Palma, but said she may even be squeezing a weekend to Paris now.

She said: “We have used Southend Airport for more than 30 years.

“We were thrilled to see our airport buzzing pre-pandemic with lots of routes and especially having the easyJet hub at Southend.

“We were so sorry to see this go but slowly and surely, I feel the team at Southend Airport are doing their best to get the airport back.

“People need to use it or lose it, I say.

“It is so much easier to travel using Southend Airport. I timed it myself once and it was 20 minutes from getting off the plane to walking in my front door.

“Any new routes have to be a bonus. I have already booked for Malaga and Palma.

“I could be squeezing in a long weekend to Paris now.”

Helen Poland, a 60-year-old from Chalkwell, hoped this would be the start of even more routes.

She said: “I am very pleased to hear there is another destination.

“I find it so easy to fly from Southend as we live locally so no hours travelling to and from the airport.

“It isn’t too large, and I have some walking difficulties, so it makes life much easier.

“It is a step in the right direction to have a new route.

“It is great for the local economy, and I hope it means the start of more destinations being added in the future too.”

Bosses at Southend Airport said the new route to the French capital adds further choice for customers across the region.

Anna Lahna, a Westcliff resident who has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years, said: “It is definitely good news.

“I am desperately hope we can retain and regrow the fabulous opportunity of having an international airport on our doorstep.

“We need this resource to enhance the infrastructure and provide this are with jobs and status.

“Offering a wide choice of destinations is the boost this city needs.”