So what was it like flying easyJet with covid restriction still in place onboard in September 2021?
We booked in July to fly to Malta from Liverpool John Lennon Airport in September. The tickets were both flexible tickets, along with the hotel booking at the Hilton Malta St Julian’s.
We will review our experience at Liverpool and Malta Airports and the outbound and inbound flights.
What was the cost of the flexible return ticket?
The return cost per person was £164.98, including an additional £4.00 charge for a front-row seat.
We agreed that it was not a bad price considering the tickets were flexible and you got the following additional benefits: –
- A large overhead cabin bag
- A 23kg hold bag
- Free Up Front seat (paid additional £4.00 for row 1)
- Use of dedicated easyJet Plus Bag Drop
- Fast Track Security was available
- Speedy Boarding
- Free flight change within one day
- Free route change within one day
- A Flexi Bistro voucher valued at £7.50 to spend onboard.
Flight Information
The scheduled outbound flight from Liverpool left at 7.30 am, only four minutes late, but landed in Malta at 11.44 am ahead of the arrival time of midday.
EasyJet Liverpool to Malta Schedule
The inbound flight from Malta left at 7.47 pm local time, approximately 30 minutes late. Flight time was 3hr 21mins arriving in Liverpool just after 11.00 pm.
Check-in
There was a priority check-in at Liverpool, and you needed to produce your vaccination certificate and locator form.
The process was slow, and a couple of people in front did not have the correct information to fly!
With the Flexi ticket, fast track security was available, but there was no reason to use it because the airport was quiet.
easyJet Check-in Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Check-in at Malta was a bit more chaotic, with the desks not opening until two hours before departure.
It was a mad rush to get in the queue when they finally opened, but fortunately, a priority desk was open.
Sadly similar to Liverpool, there seemed to be plenty of passengers without the correct documentation!
Priority Pass Lounge
We weren’t expecting the Aspire Lounge at Liverpool John Lennon Airport to be open, but it was to our surprise.
Aspire Lounge – Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Sadly although the lounge was open at Malta Airport, we tried to book 24 hours before our departure as guided by the Priority Pass App.
When we got through security, we took a chance to see if we could get in. The lounge looked empty, but we couldn’t get in.
Boarding
As usual, the gate opened early at Liverpool, and everyone tried to cram into a small area before the easyJet staff made you stand in a stairwell for half an hour before boarding.
As we were in row 1, you had to get there near the front to ensure you could get your hand luggage in the overhead bins.
Boarding easyJet Flight at Malta Airport
Boarding in Malta was by bus, and the gate area was more spacious than Liverpool. However, with speedy boarding, you did get to board the bus first and get on the plane before the other passengers.
Onboard an easyJet Airbus A320
easyJet A320 layout 1 (180 seats)
Both flights were Airbus A320’s with 180 economy seats.
| easyJet A320 | Pitch | Width | Seating details |
| Economy | 29 | 18 | 180 standard seats |
Luckily on the outbound flight from Liverpool, we had an empty seat next to us on the front row to spread out a bit. It made the three-hour flight a bit more bearable.
Unfortunately, the front row was full on the inbound flight, and sadly, the person in the other seat had a problem keeping their mask on during the flight!
easyJet extra legroom front row seats
The seats are no different and just as uncomfortable when flying for more than two hours. In addition, you cannot store your hand luggage so it goes into the bin above and therefore you need to get on the plane first.
Every man and his dog (or woman) likes to stand next to you when queuing for the toilet! And some people seemed to be going every five minutes.
Toilets
There were three toilets on board on both flights, one at the front and two at the back.
easyJet A320 toilet at the front of the aircraft
We used the front toilet on the outbound flight, but unfortunately, the toilet at the front of the plane was out of action on the way back from Malta.
Service and Crew
There was a distinct difference in the flights.
The crew and service outbound from Liverpool were tremendous and continually asked people to put their masks on.
The food and drink service was quick, and the crew were visible throughout the flight.
Food from bistro and boutique menu
The crew did not ask people to keep their masks on the inbound flight from Malta and were happy for young kids to run up and down the aisle.
A can of coke was £2.30 and a small tin of pringles £2.00 at the time of travel in September 2021. You can review the full bistro & boutique magazine for prices by clicking the link.
Tips
- If you book a front-row seat, we suggest you don’t take any hand luggage and pay to have hold luggage. You, therefore, don’t need to rush to get on the plane and can relax beforehand.
- If you want to take hand luggage, take a soft bag to fit under the seat, pick a speedy boarding seat in rows 2-5 and check a hold bag.
Summary: Flying easyJet With Covid Restrictions
The flights met our expectations because, in reality, you know what you are getting when flying with low-cost airlines.
Therefore we are likely to fly easyJet again but most likely on shorter flights to Europe.
