easyJet to compete directly with British Airways on new route to Tbilisi in Georgia.

easyJet has announced this week that it plans to compete with British Airways when it introduces a new service to Tbilisi in Georgia next year.

The budget carrier will start the route on 1st April 2025 with the service operating twice a week from the carrier's home base of London Luton Airport. 

When we checked yesterday, the basic seat-only fare on easyJet for a return from Luton flight on 22nd April back 6th May was £222.98. British Airways fare from Heathrow for similar dates - 22nd April returning on 5th May was £274.09.  The main difference is the taxes, while the net fare was £101 on BA and on easyJet was £134.98.

Tbilisi offers a rich blend of history, diverse architecture, and culture. The city’s picturesque Old Town streets, historic sulphur baths, and a lively arts scene, alongside opportunities to sample traditional Georgian and Russian cuisine plus award-winning wines.

Ali Gayward, easyJet’s UK Country Manager, said:  "We are delighted announce a new route to a brand-new destination on our network today, and to be providing  direct connectivity between the UK and Tbilisi in Georgia for the first time from next summer, providing even more choice for our customers flying from London Luton who choose us for our unrivalled network which we continue to strengthen, our crew and their fantastic service, and of course our great value fares.”

In recent months, a complete reevaluation of the relationship the U.S. has with Georgia was ordered by Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State. Financial aid and military cooperation from the U.S. has also been frozen and the European Union also followed suit.  Indeed, in Europe, there is talk that more sanctions from the EU could be imposed.  Georgia had also previously wished to join NATO and was, for a while described by the organisation as a 'prospective member state'. Now, that has been dropped from recent NATO declarations.  

Georgia signed a deep strategic partnership agreement in 2023 with China which has seen Tbilisi awarding a Chinese-led consortium the exclusive rights to complete the Anaklia deep-sea port on Georgia’s Black Sea coast. Not only that, according to Carnegie Politika Georgia also embarked towards energy cooperation with Turkey and has developed warmer ties to Iran following the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May. Forthcoming elections in October could further cement diplomatic, financial and emotional ties with Russia, China and Iran or an attempt to resuscitate the relationship with the West. According to the Financial Times Western leaders need to brace for a full-blown Georgian crisis and a plan needs to be ready. 

.