LUXE Serendipity magazine

Almost 121,000 people are dreaming of anything but a white Christmas – by flying from East Midlands Airport to sunnier climes for an alternative take on the festive season.

The great festive getaway will take place between December 19 and January 4, with almost 24,000 timing things to be away for the big day. The busiest flight schedule in the run-up to Christmas Day is next Friday (19 December), when nearly 5,000 people plan to escape the Brussel sprouts, paper hats and TV re-runs by flying from East Midlands Airport. One flight to Antalya will give passengers a very different meaning to Christmas Turkey, while other destinations include Tunisia, Portugal, Alicante and Lanzarote.

And 25,000 people have chosen the ‘Twixmas’ period between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day to take part in the festive season’s great escape.

Some aren’t wasting a moment to take a break from the festivities, with just under 3,900 people set to jump on a plane on Boxing Day itself. The busiest day of the Twixmas period, Sunday 28 December, will see 26 departures carrying 4,755 passengers off to a well-deserved break after the efforts and excesses of Christmas. Destinations include Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Malaga and Fuerteventura for fun in the sun, while Riga and Krakow offer magical festive scenes and there’s the option of a peaceful escape or a New Year’s party with plenty of craic in Dublin, Knock or Belfast.

The festive getaways come as figures show a 7.4% increase in passenger numbers last month compared to November last year. That equates to just under 171,000 passengers last month – a year-on-year increase of almost 12,000.

East Midlands Airport customers flying out over the festive period will benefit from improvements that have been completed at the airport, including a new-look security hall with next-generation scanners that make the process quicker and easier, allowing passengers to leave 100ml liquids and electrical items inside cabin bags. Other improvements include extra seating, better wi-fi, upgraded toilet facilities and an expanded and refurbished Escape Lounge. Also a new restaurant, Alembic, opened earlier this year, along with a refurbished Castle Rock Bar and Kitchen and a new and larger JD Sports store.

Customer Services and Planning Director at East Midlands Airport Mike Grimes said: “There are plenty of people who want to swap their Christmas sofa for an aircraft seat – and we’re absolutely here to make that an easy decision and provide an effortless start to their festive escape.

“Whether it’s some winter sun or festive city breaks they’re after, East Midlands Airport is the best choice if the aim is to take the hassle out of Christmas.”