EasyJet have announced that they will start flights between Gatwick and Mahon (Minorca) on 6 February. The announcement has been welcomed by the Minorca department for tourism promotion. The collapse of Monarch Airlines was a significant blow to Minorca, not least because of its low-season flights.
EasyJet say that the flights have normally started at the end of March but that they are bringing them forward in order to check market demand in February and March. The airline adds that it is considering making the route an all-year one.
The service will be weekly, with flights scheduled for Tuesdays. Javier Gándara, the CEO for easyJet in Spain, says that the earlier start to the service "reaffirms our commitment to sustained growth in Spain and Minorca". He adds: "We are always analysing new opportunities and for ways of lessening tourism seasonality."
For the Council of Minorca, the announcement is "an unequivocal sign of the confidence that the airline has in Minorca and it validates the strategy adopted in Minorca to extend the tourism season". "We trust that the relationship will endure and be consolidated over time."
Flights between Gatwick and Mahon are now available on the easyJet website.