Low-cost carrier EasyJet announced on 2 May that it will open two new twice-weekly routes from Hamburg Airport during the coming winter timetable: Geneva from 3 September and Prague from 26 October. The expansion lifts the airline’s direct destinations from Germany’s second-largest city to eight and plugs two gaps that corporate travel managers in the north have long flagged. Both cities are high-value business markets. Geneva hosts the United Nations, scores of non-governmental organisations and the headquarters of multinationals in finance, biotech and commodities. Prague is a fast-growing tech and shared-service hub for German companies in central Europe. Until now, travellers from Hamburg faced either a connection via hubs such as Frankfurt or a four-to-five-hour rail trip. EasyJet will fly Hamburg–Geneva on Thursdays and Sundays and Hamburg–Prague on Mondays and Fridays, using Airbus A320-family aircraft. Flights are already on sale. Travel buyers should note that EasyJet’s “Flex” fare still qualifies for limited rebooking and a small cabin bag only; seat selection, checked luggage and fast-track security remain chargeable ancillaries that can add €60-€90 to a round-trip if not pre-booked. For northern German exporters, conference organisers and cross-border project teams, the new services shave at least two hours off total journey time and remove the risk of missed interline connections during the current strike-plagued spring. The announcement also brings positive aviation news after weeks dominated by labour disputes and fuel-price-related capacity cuts.
Source: Kreiszeitung (Hamburg section)
