Regarding Easyjet, Ryanair tried an air service to OST, it was probably them that renamed it Ostend-Bruges, and even at their silly fares they failed miserably, having lived in Ostend for 2.5 years pretty much the bulk of the British tourists they get there are day trip 'Booze Cruisers' often out to give the British as bad a reputation as is possible!
With regards to a fast ferry back in the last century Ostend did have a fast ferry, indeed an air service, to Kent with two Boeing Jetfoils, oh they were fun, initially to Dover before Sally Lines became involved and they switched to Ramsgate ... Alas the channel tunnel came along and that put an end to that service and a number of other services.
