EasyJet has signed a ten-year deal to operate flights from Southend airport in Essex creating an alternative to Stansted and London City in time for the 2012 London Olympics. The UK low-cost airline said it was moving three aircraft from Stansted and redeploying 150 staff as part of its strategy to target business customers. Tickets will go on sale in July for an initial 70 flights a week, to destinations including Barcelona, Ibiza and Faro. The decision raises the prospect that Southend could become another significant air hub for London, carrying an estimated two million passengers a year by 2019. A new railway station is due to open next month, taking passengers from the airport to Liverpool Street Station in 49 minutes and to Stratford in 42 minutes. Flights are expected to be shorter as they avoid the congested London flight path, shaving 20 minutes off most European journeys. Security checks will also be quicker. From / Gulf News