HUNDREDS of jobs could be created at Southend Airport after an airline announced a huge new recruitment drive.

Easyjet plans to create 1,200 new cabin crew positions, with at least 600 based in the UK, many based at Southend Airport.

The company operates more than 70 flights a week from the airport to destinations across Europe, including Amsterdam, Alicante, Barcelona, Faro, Geneva, Ibiza, Jersey, Lyon, Malaga, Menorca, Majorca, Paris, Tenerife and Venice.

The news comes on top of last month’s announcement that the firm will operate a winter flight to popular Spanish getaway destination Gran Canaria from November.

Ann Holland, councillor for tourism and the economy, said the announcement was “great news” for Southend and Rochford.

She said: “They must think that business is good enough to recruit staff and if they recruit staff I would think that they are going to increase flights.

“When I have flown from there a lot of people in the queue had come from Norfolk and Suffolk and all over the place.

“It’s good to see companies investing in Southend, it’s really good news and something really positive.”

Tina Milton, Easyjet’s head of cabin service, said the recruitment drive would start immediately.

She said: “We’re delighted to be opening recruitment for more than 1,200 cabin crew positions today.

“Being cabin crew is a very rewarding role – our teams are extremely professional and energetic with a real sense of fun. Easyjet is a fantastic company to work for with everyone across the airline working together as one team to ensure we provide the highest standard of service for our passengers.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming more people into our growing team.”

Earlier this year, the company announced it had started recruiting more than 350 pilots and promoting more than 150 of its current first officers to captain positions.

The firm has not yet given any specific breakdown of where the posts will be based, but Easyjet flies more than 250 aircraft on over 820 routes in 31 countries, and has a presence in 27 European bases.

Stansted Airport is also likely to benefit from the recruitment drive.

Glyn Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Stobart Aviation, owner of Southend Airport, said “We are pleased to hear about Easyjet’s recruitment plans that could lead to new jobs here in the Essex area, and we look forward to continuing to work in partnership with the airline here at London Southend.”