EasyJet's launch for Cornwall

EasyJet has launched a new route to Newquay from Southend airport.

A year after rival Ryanair pulled out of the Cornish airport, easyJet said it will start flying there this summer, with a thrice-weekly service.

EasyJet hopes it will attract almost 10,000 passengers each year on the route, with the inaugural flight taking off from Southend airport in June.

"This opens up a fast connection to the English Riviera and its great beaches, restaurants and attractions," Hugh Aitken, easyJet's UK commercial manager, said.

"The new service makes the South-west much more accessible, and certainly a lot faster to reach than the current road or rail alternatives."

Easyjet saw its passenger numbers grow again in November, up 7.7 per cent to 4.1 million.