Hopeful Brits scramble for holiday as Easyjet adds 50,000 extra seats to green light destinations

Passengers board an easyJet plane (PA Wire)

EasyJet has launched over 50,000 extra seats to new Green list destinations in a bid to help more Britons escape for the summer.

It comes as holidaymakers rush to book trips to countries added to the Government’s quarantine-free list on Thursday.

Firms are experiencing a surge in demand for locations such as Spain’s Balearic Islands, Malta, Madeira and several Caribbean nations.

They are among 14 countries and territories moved to the green list.

In order to accommodate the growing demand easyJet has now put extra seats on sale.

The firm has also included two new routes from Bristol and Luton to Malta which will launch next month.

It is now operating to Malta up to 18 times a week this summer from four UK airports - London Gatwick, London Luton, Bristol, Manchester - and to Ibiza up to 40 times a week this year from the same airports including Belfast.

Price comparison website TravelSupermarket said Barbados went from being its 12th most-searched-for country by package holiday customers to number two, following the Government’s announcement.

In order to accommodate the growing demand easyJet has now put extra seats on sale (PA Wire)

While Malta rose from 17th spot to number five.

All easyJet customers will also be able to change their flights this summer without a change fee at any time up to two hours before departure, providing even more last-minute flexibility.

Johan Lundgren, easyJet CEO, said: “We really want to get back to what we do best and connect people across Europe so we welcome these additions to the Green list and in response we have put over fifty thousand more seats on sale to new and existing routes to Green destinations.

Holidays in Ibiza are back on for Brits as they scramble to get a plane ticket (PA)

“And with two thirds of UK adults expected to be double jabbed by 19 July, now is the time to let British citizens take advantage of the success of the vaccination programme so we urge the Government to move quickly to remove quarantine and testing for fully vaccinated people travelling from Amber and Green countries.

Mr Lundgren added the move was “overdue and unless testing is also removed flying could become the preserve of the rich again.”

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