Canaries On The Cheap

Lanzarote holidays look set to become cheaper and more accessible. Thanks to the recent announcement by budget operator easyJet that they will begin direct flights to the most eastern most Canary Island from late March.

The deal gives the budget carrier instant access to important new landing and take off slots at Gatwick airport – whilst obviously also increasing the range of destinations that they can make available to their customers, all in all excellent news for the travelling public.

easyJet will fly direct to Arrecife from Gatwick airport on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. There will be three flights on Thursdays, departing Gatwick at 07.15, 13.30 and 15.55. With one flight on both Tuesdays and Sundays, taking off at 15.45 so this gives travelers plent of flexibility.

easyJet bought up GB Airways in a £103.5 million deal at the end of 2007 – and plan to continue operating their existing routes in Southern Europe and North Africa. Which encompass thirty one destinations and thirty nine routes.

Previously, easyJet had denied plans to fly direct into Lanzarote. Claiming that the four hour flight time was incompatable with their cheap flights business model. And as a result they only recently inaugurated indirect flights from the UK to Lanzarote via Madrid a service which was being heavily promoted in local media.

EasyJet are offering one way flights to the island from as little as £44.99 – excluding taxes. Making holidays in Lanzarote more accessible – as the usual average cost of a return flight is normally in the £200 plus bracket.

Many businesses on the island hope that the announcement will bring a new wave of independent tourists to Lanzarote. As up until now the island has been heavily dependent on the major package tour operators and their charter flights to bring revenue into the island.

Locally, the announcement is being viewed as a boon for many different types of local businesses. Such as hotels in Lanzarote, private villa owners, Lanzarote car hire companies, excursion operators and restaurants.

easyJet will not be the sole cheap flights carrier to Lanzarote either. As they join Leeds/Bradford based Jet2 and Irish operators Aer Lingus. The latter having recently announced two weekly flights into Arrecife airport from Cork.
So providing further proof of Lanzarote´s enormous popularity as a holiday destination with tourists from the Republic of Ireland.

Last year alone, over 280,000 visitors from Eire landed at Arrecife airport – making Lanzarote the most popular destination in Spain for Irish tourists.