Editing EasyJet (section)

===Expansion and acquisitions===
[[File:Go Fly Boeing 737-300 G-IGOB departing Bristol Airport in 2004.jpg|thumb|A [[Go Fly]] [[Boeing 737 Classic|Boeing 737-300]] in 2004]]
In March 1998, EasyJet purchased a 40% stake in Swiss charter airline [[TEA Basle]] for three million [[Swiss franc]]s. The airline was renamed [[EasyJet Switzerland]] and commenced [[franchising|franchise]] services on 1 April 1999, having relocated its headquarters to [[Geneva Airport]]. Geneva was EasyJet's first new base outside the United Kingdom.<ref name="KE"/> In 2002, rival airline [[Go Fly]] was purchased for £374 million; the airline inherited three new bases from Go, at [[Bristol Airport]], [[East Midlands Airport]] and [[London Stansted Airport]]; the acquisition of Go almost doubled the number of [[Boeing 737 Classic|Boeing 737-300]] aircraft in the EasyJet fleet.<ref name="GO1"/><ref>{{cite press release | title = Circular regarding proposed acquisition of Go | publisher = EasyJet | date = 24 May 2002 | url = http://www.EasyJet.com/en/Investor/20020524_01.html | access-date = 21 January 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080119132812/http://www.easyjet.com/en/Investor/20020524_01.html | archive-date = 19 January 2008 | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

In 2002, the airline opened its base at [[Gatwick Airport]]. Between 2003 and 2007, it opened additional bases in Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, establishing a presence in continental Europe.<ref name="KE"/> By 2007, EasyJet was claiming to be operating more flights per day than any other European airline.<ref name="Bamber, G.J., Gittell, J.H., Kochan, T.A. & von Nordenflytch, A. 2009">{{cite book |chapter-url=http://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/?GCOI=80140100965480 |last1=Bamber |first1=Greg J. |last2=Gittell |first2=Jody Hoffer |last3=Kochan |first3=Thomas A. |last4=von Nordenflytch |first4=Andrew |year=2009 |title=Up in the Air: How Airlines Can Improve Performance by Engaging their Employees |publisher=Cornell University Press, Ithaca |chapter=Chapter 5 |access-date=22 February 2015}}</ref>

On 25 October 2007, EasyJet purchased the entire share capital of [[GB Airways]] from the [[Bland Group]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7061246.stm |title=Easyjet agrees to buy GB Airways |date=25 October 2007 |work= BBC News |access-date=26 June 2016 }}</ref> This acquisition was valued at £103.5 million, and was used by the airline to expand its operations at Gatwick,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.anna.aero/2007/11/02/gb-airways-acquisition-will-make-EasyJet-no1-at-gatwick/ |title=From Bland to orange: GB Airways acquisition will make easyJet #1 at Gatwick |work=anna.aero |date=2 November 2007}}</ref> and to establish a base at [[Manchester Airport]].<ref name="GB1"/><ref name="GB2">{{cite press release | title = EasyJet plc agrees to acquire GB Airways Limited | publisher = EasyJet | date = 25 October 2007 | url = http://www.EasyJet.com/en/News/EasyJet_to_acquire_gb_airways.html | access-date = 21 January 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080127202930/http://www.easyjet.com/EN/news/easyjet_to_acquire_gb_airways.html | archive-date = 27 January 2008 | df = dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Regulator clears easyJet's GB Airways acquisition |work=Reuters | date = 18 January 2008 | url = https://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSWLB595520080118?sp=true | access-date =21 January 2008 | first=Marc | last=Jones}}</ref><ref name="GB3">{{cite press release | title = EasyJet to become North West's largest airline | publisher = EasyJet | date = 17 December 2007 | url = http://www.EasyJet.com/EN/News/largest_airline_in_the_north_west.html | access-date = 21 January 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080121231352/http://www.easyjet.com/EN/News/largest_airline_in_the_north_west.html | archive-date = 21 January 2008 | df = dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="GB4">{{cite web |title=Acquisition of GB Airways |publisher=EasyJet |date=25 October 2007 |url=http://www.EasyJet.com/common/img/EasyJet_gb_airways_acquisition.pdf |access-date=21 January 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409193417/http://www.easyjet.com/common/img/easyjet_gb_airways_acquisition.pdf |archive-date=9 April 2008 }}</ref>

In June 2011, the airline opened its eleventh British base &ndash; at [[London Southend Airport]], offering flights to [[Alicante]], [[Amsterdam]], [[Barcelona]], [[Belfast]], [[Faro, Portugal|Faro]], [[Málaga]], [[Jersey]], [[Palma de Mallorca]] and [[Ibiza]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/8578833/EasyJet-to-open-new-base-at-Southend.html | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | first=David | last=Millward | title=EasyJet to open new base at Southend | date=16 June 2011}}</ref>

In July 2017, EasyJet announced it would open a new European headquarters in [[Austria]] to enable it to operate after [[Brexit]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jul/14/easyjet-austria-eu-flights-brexit |title=EasyJet to set up Austrian HQ to operate EU flights after Brexit |newspaper=The Guardian |date=14 July 2017}}</ref>

On 28 October 2017, EasyJet announced it would lease 25 former [[Air Berlin]] A320 aircraft to operate across [[EasyJet Europe]]'s network, under its European AOC. Several of these aircraft were based at [[Berlin-Tegel Airport]], before its closure. These aircraft have subsequently been transferred to [[Berlin-Brandenburg Airport]]. Previously EasyJet had only operated from [[Berlin-Schönefeld Airport]] and [[Berlin-Tegel Airport]], where EasyJet had taken over some of Air Berlin's old services.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-air-berlin-m-a-easyjet/easyjet-clinches-parts-of-air-berlin-for-german-expansion-idUKKBN1CW31C |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028113235/https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-air-berlin-m-a-easyjet/easyjet-clinches-parts-of-air-berlin-for-german-expansion-idUKKBN1CW31C |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 October 2017 |title=easyJet clinches parts of Air Berlin for German expansion |date=27 October 2017 |newspaper=Reuters}}</ref>

On 30 March 2020, EasyJet suspended all flights, grounded its entire fleet, and furloughed its crews due to travel restrictions imposed in response to the [[Covid-19 pandemic]].<ref name="autogenerated1">{{Cite news |date=30 March 2020 |title=EasyJet grounds entire fleet of planes due to virus |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52084003 |access-date=30 March 2020}}</ref> This came after the company had flown 650 "rescue flights", taking 45,000 people back home.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://skift.com/2020/03/30/easyjet-grounds-entire-fleet-furloughs-crew-after-finishing-rescue-flights/ |title=EasyJet Grounds Entire Fleet, Furloughs Crew After Finishing Rescue Flights |last=Parsons |first=Matthew |date=30 March 2020 |website=Skift |language=en-US |access-date=30 March 2020}}</ref> In April 2020, EasyJet secured a £600 million loan from the [[UK Government]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Sandra Laville|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/30/transport-secretary-promised-easyjet-not-to-levy-green-taxes?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other |title=Transport secretary promised EasyJet not to levy green taxes &#124; Business |work=The Guardian | date=30 April 2020 |access-date=2 May 2020}}</ref> In June 2020, EasyJet announced their intention to resume flights, flying half of their routes in July 2020 and up to 75 per cent in August 2020, though with reduced frequency.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2 June 2020|title=EasyJet to resume flights across most European routes by August|url=http://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jun/02/easyjet-resume-flights-european-routes-august-covid-19-restrictions-lift|access-date=4 June 2020|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref>

In April 2020, EasyJet became involved in a dispute with its owner and largest shareholder, Stelios Haji-Ioannou. Haji-Ioannou criticised the airline's decision not to seek to cancel the outstanding Airbus order, claiming it would create an additional £4.5 billion of capital which the airline could not afford to spend. He threatened to call a general meeting to remove a director every three weeks unless subsequent action was taken. A general meeting was held on 22 May, where shareholders ultimately voted over 99% in favour of the EasyJet board and retaining the Airbus contract.<ref>{{Cite web|date=22 May 2020|title=Sir Stelios fails in his bid to get the board sacked at easyJet|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/business/sir-stelios-fails-in-his-bid-to-get-the-board-sacked-at-easyjet-a4448841.html|access-date=10 September 2020|website=Evening Standard|language=en}}</ref>

On 19 May 2020, the company revealed that it had been the subject of a [[cyber-attack]] resulting in the release of the personal information of 9 million customers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/may/19/easyjet-cyber-attack-customers-details-credit-card|title=EasyJet reveals cyber-attack exposed 9m customers' details|work=The Guardian|date=19 May 2020|access-date=19 May 2020}}</ref>

On 10 September 2021, the company claimed it had rejected a takeover bid from rival [[Wizz Air]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=EasyJet rejects takeover approach from rival Wizz Air|newspaper=[[Financial Times]]|url=https://www.ft.com/content/4c2d5a82-c548-4f5a-aa06-3ad250855e72 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/4c2d5a82-c548-4f5a-aa06-3ad250855e72 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=10 September 2021|date=9 September 2021 }}</ref>

On 30 September 2021, Stelios Haji-Ioannou and his family lost control of the company, after failing to take up the [[rights issue]] and being diluted: their stake was 15.27% as of 30 September 2021.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://greekreporter.com/2021/09/30/after-26-years-sir-stelios-loses-control-of-easyjet/ |title=After 26 Years, Sir Stelios Loses Control of EasyJet|date=30 September 2021|newspaper=Greek Reporter|access-date=3 October 2021}}</ref>