UPDATE 2-EasyJet raises $520 mln to bolster COVID-hit finances

* Places 59.5 mln new ordinary shares at a 703 pence

* Shares down 5.4%

* New equity help boosts liquidity to 3 bln stg
(Adds resumption of flying on more routes)

By Sarah Young and Alistair Smout

LONDON, June 25 (Reuters) - Budget airline easyJet has
raised about 419 million pounds ($520 million) through a share
placing to help bolster its finances after the COVID-19 pandemic
devastated the travel industry.

The new equity will help boost its liquidity to about 3
billion pounds, easyJet said, enabling it to survive for many
more months even if planes are grounded again, and putting it in
a strong position to cope with "protracted recovery scenarios".

EasyJet's planes returned to the air in mid-June, but with a
minimal service. On Thursday, it said it would resume flights to
Paris, Barcelona and Milan from Britain from July 1, as it
restarts services from Manchester and London's Luton airport.

The airline is hoping to ramp up flying as the year goes on,
but demand is being hampered by UK quarantine rules and consumer
nervousness.

Airlines are hoping Britain agrees travel deals with other
countries to allow restriction-free movement between some
European countries. A review of quarantine rules is due on June
29.

EasyJet said it had placed a total of 59.5 million new
ordinary shares at 703 pence apiece, after announcing the move
late Wednesday.

Its shares were down 5.4% to 699.9 pence at 0915 GMT on
Thursday. They have approximately halved in value since the
start of the year.

EasyJet has said it does not expect passenger demand to
recover to pre-pandemic levels until 2023 and is planning to axe
up to 4,500 jobs.

Bernstein analyst Daniel Roeska said the airline was already
making progress with cost cutting.

"EasyJet has a compelling proposition of lower cost
structures and strong positions in better markets," he said in a
note.

British Airways, owned by IAG, has said it needs to
shed 12,000 jobs and there has been media speculation that IAG
could also raise new equity. Qatar Airways, IAG's biggest
shareholder, has said it would inject equity into IAG if needed.

($1 = 0.8050 pounds)
(Reporting by Sarah Young and Alistair Smout; editing by James
Davey and Mark Potter)