EasyJet confirms plan to cancel major UK flight route to British holiday hotspot

23 September 2023 , 11:27

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EasyJet is dropping the destination from future schedules (Image: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

EasyJet has confirmed it won't be offering flights between Gatwick Airport and Volos, Greece, from next summer.

The budget airline had used the route since the summer of 2018, offering two sets of flights each week in the high season. Volos is Greece's 13th largest city, according to the most recent Census data, but it particularly popular with tourists due to its location.

The city is based at the foot of the Pelion peninsula, almost directly between the country's two most popular cities; Athens and Thessaloniki. It's also an ideal spot to travel to some of Greece's most famous islands, including the two filming locations for Mamma Mia; Skiathos and Skopelos.

EasyJet confirmed it wouldn't be cancelling any scheduled flights, but wouldn't be adding to its schedule next year. An easyJet spokesperson told the Mirror: "Following a review of the route, we can confirm that flights between London Gatwick and Volos in Greece won’t be going on sale beyond this summer.

"We concentrate our efforts on maintaining and developing routes which prove most popular with customers, focusing on offering routes with the greatest demand.. We continue to offer customers in in the UK 13 Greek destinations and provide more seats from the UK than any other airline to this popular Mediterranean region."

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The cancelled flight schedule will be a major disappointment to the British expats living in the Pelion region of Greece - including Boris Johnson's father, Stanley Johnson. EasyJet was expected to continue flights to Athens, Thessaloniki and Skiathos in 2024.

Meanwhile, Volos, Skiathos and the rest of the Pelion region were hit by severe flash floods earlier this month. Up to 20 people were confirmed dead after the flooding, which was caused by Storm Daniel at the start of September. Large sections of the country were effectively destroyed, leaving locals to rebuild even the most basic infrastructure.

Matt Atherton