**EasyJet expands its Nantes base with two new direct routes** British low-cost carrier easyJet, in partnership with Vinci Airports, has announced the opening of two new direct routes from Nantes Atlantique Airport for the autumn 2026 season: Brussels-Zaventem (Brussels Airport) and Essaouira. Each route will operate twice weekly. The Brussels service will run on Mondays and Fridays starting 26 October 2026, while the Essaouira route, competing with Transavia, will begin on 27 October with flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays. These new destinations are part of a broader expansion plan by easyJet in France, which includes nine new routes from Bordeaux, Nantes, Nice, Lyon, and Paris-Charles de Gaulle for winter 2026. Fares start at €40 for Brussels and €55 for Essaouira. Both routes are exclusive to easyJet and are already available for booking. **Strategic significance for the Nantes base** The direct link to Brussels Airport cuts travel time to just 1 hour 30 minutes by air, compared to over seven hours by car. This route caters to a mixed demand: business travel to the European capital and family visits or tourism. The Essaouira route, connecting to the Moroccan coastal city, serves both the Moroccan diaspora and tourists seeking beach destinations. EasyJet already operates Essaouira routes from Bordeaux and Lyon, with two weekly flights from each city. In 2026, Essaouira-Mogador Airport will be served by about ten international routes, mostly by European low-cost carriers. Guillaume Dubois, director of Nantes Atlantique Airport, stated: "By directly connecting Nantes to Brussels and Essaouira, Vinci Airports and easyJet support the mobility dynamics of our region, meeting complementary needs: visits to family and friends, business travel, and leisure trips." He added that these new routes strengthen the region's attractiveness and confirm Nantes Atlantique's role as a key platform for international connectivity. **EasyJet's growing presence in Nantes** EasyJet established its Nantes base in 2019, making it its 29th European base and seventh in France. The carrier has progressively expanded, now operating four based aircraft and a network of 35 destinations. For summer 2025, easyJet launched four new routes from Nantes to Menorca, Hurghada, Rhodes, and Chania, and for winter 2025–2026, to Madrid and Budapest. **Traffic recovery at Nantes Atlantique** Nantes Atlantique Airport welcomed 7.2 million passengers in 2025, a 2.9% increase from 2024 and a return to 2019 pre-pandemic levels. Aircraft movements reached 52,000 in 2025, up 2.9% year-on-year, but still 17% below 2019 levels. This trend confirms increasing load factors and capacity optimisation. **What this means for ATPL and ATC students** For ATPL students, this expansion illustrates how low-cost carriers drive route development and fleet utilisation, key factors in airline network planning and operational strategy. ATC students can note the impact of new routes on air traffic flows, especially at regional airports like Nantes, where increased movements require efficient sequencing and coordination. Understanding these dynamics is essential for future pilots and controllers working in a competitive aviation environment.