Easyjet - 2

[Doors to Automatic]

The original low cost carriers (like easyjet and Ryanair) seem to have overlooked the fact that they don't have the market to themselves anymore.

Every man and his dog is either a low-cost carrier or operating close to a low-cost pricing (fare) model so if one pulls out there will be several ready to take on the routes if they are close to being profitable.

They days of easyjet or Ryanair being able to throw their weight around willy-nilly are history!

[eu01]

No, not quite so

'On the contrary: we are planning to expand' in Berlin

No, it isn't that simple. Let me present you with some quotations.

There's a billion-dollar grave being dug here that won't do justice to us and to other low-cost carriers.
The BBI's dimensions are much too big and it would inevitably push up prices, even landing fees. These plans will also lead to a slump in passenger numbers.

John Kohlsaat, head of EasyJet's German operations

Easyjet wants to remain in Berlin. But if the BBI were built according to the existing plans, "we would consider changing our plans", Kohlsaat stressed.
He meant that the actual plans are tailored only to the needs of the traditional airlines. "They (the plans) originate from the 90's, from the times of Denver and Dallas, when low-cost flying did not emerge yet."
Easyjet would want to keep its present terminal as "the valued one".
The British criticize also up to four times longer way that the passengers will have to walk in the new BBI terminal. It would raise plane's turnaround times by over 20 minutes. Besides only ten gates for cheap fliers are planned. Easyjet alone uses six at present. "If the large airport in this form were built it would mean less efficiency and higher costs for lcc's".
Easyjet has already been trying to negotiate with the Berlin senate about making changes "of the outdated BBI plans".

The current planning threatens BBI to become an empty glass palace, where the functioning of Easyjet were no longer possible.

John Kohlsaat

Interestingly, also Ryanair seems to share this opinion with EZY.
"We don't need the massive marble palace," a Ryanair spokeswoman told German newspaper B.Z. am Sonntag, adding that "Berlin already has three lovely airports."
What Ryanair really want however is quite a different scenario. Unfortunately for them, they have been succesfully blocked by the local authorities from using their "own" airport. Not in Schönefeld but in the vincinity of the German capital. Due to the development plans at BBI, the airports of Neuhardenberg and Eberswalde-Finow, while having the runways good enough to serve big passenger jets (like Ryanair's 737's), are not allowed to accept them.

For example, Neuhardenberg has:
RWY 2400 x 50 m, Concrete
RWY 08 TKOF 2400 m; LDG 2400 m
RWY 26 TKOF 2400 m; LDG 2400 m
but:
MTOW PCN 53 R/B/W/T

The quotations based on today's news from "Die Welt", "DW" and "Der Tagesspiegel".

[Jes]

Thank you eu01: excellent contribution.

Finow is an airport that Infratil has an interest in.

[FlapsOne]

As everything so far has come from the press it looks like it all falls into the bracket of 'don't believe everything you read in a newspaper'.

[CaptJ]

easyjet embarking on a new round of flight cancellations

I see that easyjet has restarted its rolling program of cancellations.
selected late flights to/from Stansted,Luton,Belfast and selected midday flights to/from Glasgow and Edinburgh have been cancelled so far.

[Mr Rowntree]

Could someone tell me how many Aircraft easy have based at EMA?

Cheers

Rowntree

[phil_2405]

Mr Rowntree

3 Airbus A319's.

[Mr Rowntree]

phil_2405

Thank you very much!

[MerchantVenturer]

Originally Posted by CaptJ

I see that easyjet has restarted its rolling program of cancellations.
selected late flights to/from Stansted,Luton,Belfast and selected midday flights to/from Glasgow and Edinburgh have been cancelled so far.

I was a victim of easyJet's penchant for cancelling flights wholesale as if this is some form of acceptable business practice.

In June my BRS-EDI-BRS flights were cancelled and I later discovered that around sixty BRS to EDI and GLA flights were cancelled that month. Since then I have kept an eye on BRS and there have been numerous easyJet flights cancelled through the summer to/from other destinations.

Because I have been a satisfied customer of theirs in the past I determined to give them another go and on 5 August booked a daytrip BRS-NCL-BRS, flying on 25 September.

Last Friday I received an email saying the outbound had been cancelled - 'for operational reasons' which is their euphemism for no crew.

I was given the choice of getting my money back, including any journey made 'where the flight no longer serves the purpose of the original flight plan', which I take to mean the return leg, since the outbound has been cancelled and I can't get to Newcastle to fly back, or of choosing another date (if available) within one month.

It cost me 80 pence in phone calls to get my money back for the cancelled Edinburgh flights in June (both legs were cancelled then), because although I booked on line easyJet will only refund via the phone at an enhanced phone charge.

They have my money for a month, cancel the flight then charge me to get my money back.

I have checked the easyJet timetable for Sept out of BRS and 24 NCL flights, 32 BFS and another 40-odd flights to/from other destinations appear to have been cancelled already.

easyJet will not reply to correspondence. I even tried Bristol Airport to get their opinion on their biggest operator's behaviour but apart from an acknowledgement to my email (sent on 24 July) promising a detailed reply I have heard nothing.

This has turned a loyal and supportive customer of the airline into someone who would not fly with them in future if they gave me a free ticket.

I'm just thankful my cancelled flights were day trips and there were no hotel and car hire expenses.

[ORAC]

BBC: Easyjet charges for second bags

A budget airline is to charge passengers an extra fee for putting a second bag in aircraft holds.

Easyjet said the increased security measures at UK airports was to blame for the move. It will cost passengers £10 to put additional luggage in the hold on check-in or £5 if paid in advance.

Spokesman Toby Nicholl said: "We've seen in the past three weeks an explosion in the amount of baggage put in holds and it is delaying check-ins." He added: "We're trying to incentivise passengers to take one bag to reduce delays."

[Powerjet1]

Apparently, easyjet to announce its Spanish domestic routes on 13 september. Expected to be Tenerife, Lanzarote, Asturias & Bilbao amongst others, from MAD.

[CentreFix25]

Spokesman Toby Nicholl said: "We've seen in the past three weeks an explosion in the amount of baggage put in holds and it is delaying check-ins." He added: "We're trying to incentivise passengers to take one bag to reduce delays."

In the light of recent events i think he could have worded that better!

[AlphaBravoZulu]

Thought I'd post this in here too...

Bids made by Easyjet and Ryanair accepted [04/09/2006 - 15:03]

The adjudicating committee appointed by the government to review the bids submitted by airlines in response to the call for low cost carriers to operate new routes to Malta, has accepted the bids made by Easyjet and Ryanair.

Source: The Times of Malta

Unfortunately I'm not quite sure which routes Easyjet submitted proposals for, sorry.

[cesare.caldi]

Originally Posted by AlphaBravoZulu

Thought I'd post this in here too...
Unfortunately I'm not quite sure which routes Easyjet submitted proposals for, sorry.

Easyjet will open Luton-Malta daily and Basel-Malta 5x week.

[LGS6753]

So does that mean that the Government of Malta has accepted proposals from BOTH FR and EZY to operate LTN-MLA??

[virginblue]

At the DTM base, the situation re cancelled flights seems to be escalating. Easyjet has had a lot of very negative press over the past few days, leading their spokesperson to the comment that he will not discuss the matter any further with the press as the way the press reports the issue was responsible for a hostile attitude of the public (what a clown....). He had the nerve to say that the press was responsible for a CSA getting attacked at the airport by an enrage passenger when a flight was cancelled.


As I am booked on two Easyjet flights in mid October - is there any pattern how flights are cancelled ? I am booked on CGN-LGW and LGW-INV. Particularly CGN is worrying me as in October they are upping tthe frequency to three daily and if there is a problem at the LGW, the easiest would to keep the old frequency.

[egnxema]

My most recent EZY flight was cancelled, and the promise of being reimbursed for any neccessary overnight hotels and taxis has not happened, even though I have had repeated phone/email and written correspondence with "Customer Services" at easyLand.

My cancelled flight was in June - I for one will not be flying with easyJet again for the foreseeable future - I cannot afford the risk of a) not getting home on the expected date, and b) not being reimbursed for the expense of having to overnight due to easyJet not being able to crew their fleet properly.

In all honesty I now rather fly on a higher fare with BA/AF/IB, or fly to a secondary airport with FR and pay for the ground transportation.

I am fearful of sounding like a ranting upset pax, but I have been in the travel industry, both business, retail and airline for a number of years. After the summer that easyJet have had I feel they deserve to be stung by the courts or the CAA for their dreadful incompetence.

In NO WAY am I hitting at the fliers - easyJet crew have always been brilliant in my experience.

But I am full of disbelief at the apparent muppets that are allowed to run that airline.

[WHBM]

In a reasonable world the CAA would be down on Easyjet, to whom they grant the AOC, long and hard for selling their services to the public and then not having the resources in place to operate them, mishandling the resulting requests for refunds, and causing great inconvenience to travellers. No crews available ? Get Titan or whoever to cover it. Or don't offer the flights in the first place. And certainly don't start any additional routes.

But what do we see from the CAA about all this ? Diddly Squat. If they continue to spend the day at 45 Kingsway contemplating their navels I suggest we campaign for the resignation of CAA Chairman Sir Roy McNulty.

[ezpz]

Originally Posted by WHBM

No crews available ? Get Titan or whoever to cover it. Or don't offer the flights in the first place. And certainly don't start any additional routes.

We have sub-chartered flights to Titan and others everyday this summer. We have two sub-chartered aircraft (737 and 757) for the next few weeks in Luton to cover flights. I realise it has been a long summer for our passengers, but it has been just as bad for the crews onboard, working 11 hour duties just to keep the planes flying.
To be fair, our CEO has taken action and fired out Flight Ops manager who watched the whole situation grow out of control, and is trying to retain the existing staff by improving working conditions. We have been recruiting non-stop since last November for LGW and LTN (and other bases) and are training 120 new cabin crew each month.
Things can only get better, as this summer has been the worst one I have ever experienced at easyJet.

[virginblue]

Are all bases evenly affected by the cancellations or is Easyjet trying to avoid cancellation at bases / on routes where they face competition (e.g. on most LGW routes ?)