EasyJet - 4

[EZYPZY]

With regards to the aforementioned take-over rumours, what about Spain's Vueling? The two carriers have comparable fleet types, a similar focus on main airports and a take-over would give EZY a larger share of the Spanish market, including a large base at Barcelona.

Wizzair seems to have more of an 'ultra low cost' business model, similar to that of Ryanair. I feel this is something EZY are trying to differentiate themselves from.

[Espada III]

EasyJet announces Tel Aviv-Manchester ro... JPost - International (http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=266408)

[Skipness One Echo]

Interesting to note that EZY have changed direction slightly as their up until now policy of pretty much keeping out of flybe's way just changed. They are going onto LGW-IOM and now BHX-BFS as well.

[chaps2011]

They already do BFS to MAN

Ian

[Aero Mad]

So we'll be seeing the following competition between them:

LGW - IOM
LGW - ABZ
LGW - INV
LGW - NTE
LGW - BFS (indirect)
BHX - BFS (indirect)
GLA - BFS (indirect)
EDI - BFS (indirect)
NCL - BFS (indirect)
CDG - BFS (indirect)
MAN - BFS (indirect)
SEN - BFS (indirect)
SEN - JER (indirect)
GLA - JER
BRS - BFS (indirect)
BOH - GVA (indirect)
INV - LTN (indirect)
GLA - CDG

I will have missed some inevitably. When I say indirect I mean a different airport which shares a catchment. Obviously I haven't included Liverpool/Manchester or Bristol/Cardiff because the catchment is rather too different although obviously there is some competition on those sectors too. I fear these two are going to start taking chunks out of eachother (perhaps more one way than another). Flybe has the advantage of less seats to fill and lower costs on domestics thanks to the benefits of turboprop over jet, however... market presence etc. doesn't go in their favour. We shall see.

[mikkie4]

SEN-GENEVA goes on sale tomorrow,SEN-VENICE on sale next week:D

[EI-BUD]

They are going onto LGW-IOM


Hi Skipness one echo, when did this come out? I hadnt heard or seen anything... LTN had been rumoured. Will bring a bit of a much needed boost to IOM numbers. Do you know when it gets off the ground? and frequency?

EI-BUD

[beauport potato man]

Six-times- weekly flights to Isle of Man, with fares starting from £22.99 (one-way, including taxes) will begin operating on 23 April providing south east business and leisure passengers alike with easy and affordable travel to the Isle.

Quote from the website

[Powerjet1]

Also London Gatwick to Luxembourg

[EI-BUD]

operating on 23 April providing south east business and leisure passengers
alike with easy and affordable travel to the Isle.



It is not yet bookable on easyjet.com or staff travel site. Surely you mean October??

[Jack1985]

Just seen pictures of the first easyJet A319 to feature the revised livery is this part of easyJet's new strategy to position itself as a hybrid carrier? Have to say the revised livery looks somewhat incomplete.

Photo easyJet Airbus A319-111 G-EZEZ (http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=1128776)

[Skipness One Echo]

The white space is expecting a logo I think, read it was a one off for something.

[ops8]

Going to be used for BER opening. Picture of Willy Brandt on the back

[easyflyer83]

Indeed. No suggestion of a livery tweak. There will be new cabins (seats) rolled out at some point. Not got any specific info regarding this but perhaps one of the CGI'd cabin pics on the easyjet recruitment site might be a clue

[liamfr]

Apparently aircraft EZ will possess the Olympic logo within the next few weeks

[easyflyer83]

It already has the Berlin special logo for the new airport opening on 2nd June so it won't be an Olympic logo......unless they apply it shortly after the new airport is opened which i can't see.

[racedo]

Apparently aircraft EZ will possess the Olympic logo within the next few weeks

No chance.

Locog and Olympic Association guard their brand very tightly, main sponsors paid up years ago and no way will they allow a brand in at last minute.

[MKY661]

Maybe it will get the opening of BER logo and then another aircraft will get the logo for the Olympics

[Captain_Caveman]

Why would easyJet have olympic rings or a logo on a plane?? British Airways is the official Carrier for the olympics... easyJet has nothing to do with it !!!!

[Jack1985]

Why would easyJet have olympic rings or a logo on a plane?? British Airways is the official Carrier for the olympics... easyJet has nothing to do with it !!!!

Due to the fact that easyJet is the UK's largest airline maybe? :E

[GayFriendly]

And will probably fly more European pax to/from the UK for the Olympics than BA will given that they fly to way more European destinations from LGW, STN, LTN and SEN than BA do from LHR ;) Easyjet are a great British business success story so why wouldn't they want to be associated with what will hopefully be the biggest sporting event in Britain for years?

[LGS6753]

They may want to be associated with the Olympics, but if they made unauthorized use of the Olympics trademarks (the 2012 logo and/or the coloured rings), they would end up in court.

[racedo]

Easyjet are a great British business success story so why wouldn't they want to be associated with what will hopefully be the biggest sporting event in Britain for years?

Er so what ?

If they wanted to get involved they could have paid like BA, Cadburys, Lloyds, P&G and others did years ago.

Any attempt at using Olympics symbols will find themselves in court quickly as the people who put the money up front did so because it was worth something to do so.

[easyflyer83]

Why are everyone getting their boxers in a twist over a logo?
It's not happening, end of. Someone obviously saw G-EZEZ without the .COM which was now well over a week ago and put two and two together. It was always going to be BER related.

[davidjohnson6]

Around 1999 / 2000 at the height of the dot-com bubble, every company under the sun changed its name to add a ".com" suffix to its name in any advertising - it was deemed to somehow transform a company from being a bunch of old fashioned codgers into a go-ahead new age forward thinking bunch of visionaries.

Move on 12 years, and the Interweb is now completely ingrained into life in both Europe and the wider world - or at least everyone who's likely to fly with Easyjet. Very few companies now seem to make a major point of emphasising that they are a dot-com - it's become the standard sales channel replacing the phone and it's almost taken for granted by consumers.

If anything, the simpler a company's logo is, the more likely it is to get noticed by consumers. Do Easyjet therefore even *need* to put "easyJet.com" on their planes, when a simple "easyJet" would suffice and cause less clutter in the appearance of their aircraft to passengers or rival airlines ?

[squeaker]

Good point. Most people would probably just type a company name in to Google rather than type a full web address anyway.

[davidjohnson6]

On 20 April, Easyjet announced a load of new routes with a promise they would go on sale "next week". I haven't checked them all but some of them (in particular those from Luxembourg and Turin) do not appear to be on sale yet.

Did the media team put out a press release before the company was ready or is somebody in Luton having 2nd thoughts on something ?

[Mr Mac]

Have been using Easyjet out of Liverpool for the last couple of months on and off due to costs on a job being very tight, and have to say both airline and airport have performed very well for LOCO. I have used speedy boarding to gain extra leg room seats and Business lounge at the airport (it has just been moved and done up) and found experiance to be ok and would look to use again on short hops. Well done Easy crews and Liverpool airport for improving my view on LOCO :ok:as my last LOCO flight before this was with Ryanair and was not so good :ouch:.

[EI-DAC]

LGW-TRN will go on sale by May 10th.

[Zippy Monster]

Do you happen to have any idea when new EZY routes are to be announced for winter 2012 and is which ones are likely candidates?

Well, you asked, so here's one that was announced today - Manchester-Basel, starts 1st October, operated by a MAN-based aircraft, 4 times weekly. Happy news for the many expats in Switzerland whose only option left was either going via London or paying through the nose for Zurich-Manchester with Swiss. Let's hope it works out.

Others are Basel-Brussels, Basel-Budapest, Basel-Santiago de Compostela, and Geneva-Seville (although the latter does not start until 2013; the rest start at the end of October 2012.)

MAN, BRU and BUD are all being dropped by Swiss from BSL from 21 May - looks like easyJet wasted no time getting in.

[Charlie Roy]

MAN, BRU and BUD are all being dropped by Swiss from BSL from 21 May - looks like easyJet wasted no time getting in.

Swiss are dropping BRU - BSL but Brussels Airlines will start it the day after (route swap within the Star Alliance).

But are you saying that Easyjet will shortly annnounce Brussels to Basel?! Do you have a source you can reveal?

[DomyDom]

Thanks Zippy Monster. Good to see some expansion of services from MAN in addition to the recently announced TLV. DomyDom

[Zippy Monster]

Yep but I'm afraid it's in German...

Easyjet: Mehr Pax und Streckenausbau ex Schweiz (http://www.travelinside.ch/travelinside/de/index.php?we_objectID=23160)

[rapidman47]

Easyjet are in talks with LJLA about their newish undertaking easy holidays.
As Liverpool has no it charters so to speak Easy see a market they can grow.
Easyjet also anounced and increase in flights to the IOM to ten per week.
Looks like expansion at last ryan are watching very closley:uhoh:

[carlrsymington]

No surprise.
Recuperating easyJet opts to stick with International - Business News, Business - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk (http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/business-news/recuperating-easyjet-opts-to-stick-with-international-16156631.html)

[DomyDom]

Can anyone please throw any light on the likelihood of a 7th aircraft at MAN for winter 2012? Thanks, DomDom

[easyflyer83]

Rapidman, don't read much into the rumour you have heard. I've not heard it but remember that easyjet holidays is nothing like your Thomas cook or Thomson. Easy are first and foremost a scheduled airline and the holiday side is actually a 3rd party branded as easyjet holidays. It's basically dynamic packaging of easy flights with bed stock from low cost holidays group.

[Ringwayman]

Look at the MAN timetable and it doesn't quite work out properly if there's just 6 aircraft based. Either more existing routes to be cut back or a 7th aircraft to be brought online. Why still show Zurich as an option to book ex-MAN when the service ceased at the end of the winter timetable unless they are planning to restore it?

[Mouser]

easyflyer, I think rapidman is saying are in talks with LPL not rumoured to be.

[EZYA319]

easyflyer83, your anti LPL theme is yet again unfounded, just because you haven't heard the rumour about easyJet Holidays and LPL airport working together doesn't mean it's not true......

Charter holidays talks between easyJet and Liverpool John Lennon Airport - Liverpool Local News - News - Liverpool Echo (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/05/10/charter-holidays-talks-between-easyjet-and-liverpool-john-lennon-airport-100252-30935698/#ixzz1uSyBdIL3))

[GayFriendly]

I think there is more than enough demand for both EZY bases to profitably survive co-exist and grow. What of course could happen (and if these talks come off will more than likely happen) is that LPL focuses (but not exclusively) more on leisure 'holiday' routes and MAN (again not exclusively) on the more 'business' style routes eg MAN-BSL has just been launched. This has happened to an extent with FR at EMA and BHX, with EMA having more 'exotic' (if thats the right word?) leisure routes than BHX (probably due cheaper landing fee deals in place there)

[Captain_Caveman]

I believe the newspaper has got the wrong end of the stick with this report. All easyJet holiday flights operate using existing seats on the scheduled flights.
The only charter flights that exist are those to Lapland- Santa charters at winter and a route between BFS and Verona that has operated between mid jan and end of feb. These exceptions are due to a couple of travel agents/tour operators chartering the whole aircraft and only operate in quiet months.

I could be wrong but doubt that LPL airport are about to start their own travel agency selling seats on new easyJet charter only flights on to destinations that are already served on easyJet and scheduled flights from Liverpool.

It's much more likely that it is some sort of advertising or marketing campaign for passengers to use easyJet holidays for their holidays by travelling on the existing flights

[easyflyer83]

Hygfgfgd nghjg

[TSR2]

Book accommodation and car hire at the same time as an easyjet flight and there you have it - an easy holiday.

Forming a holiday company does not make sense to me, it's not the easyjet business model and very little if anything to be gained from doing so.

[dwlpl]

Book accommodation and car hire at the same time as an easyjet flight and there you have it - an easy holiday.

Forming a holiday company does not make sense to me, it's not the easyjet business model and very little if anything to be gained from doing so.

The holiday arm is/was run by another company for easyJet.

The reason why they went into an agreement to form easyJet Holidays was that they were getting battered by Jet2 Holidays and decided that they could not ignore that market.

[easyflyer83]

It wasn't anything to with Jet2. Besides the principal is completely different to what Jet2 are doing these days. It's dynamic packaging pure and simple. It is simply a way of making revenue by making it easier to book flights and accommodation in one transaction... Making it seamless if you like.

This type of relationship with 3rd party businesses is what the brand licensing case with Stelios was all about. Jet2 holidays has become more like TCX and TOM these days than Easyjet Holidays.

[TSR2]

The reason why they went into an agreement to form easyJet Holidays was that they were getting battered by Jet2 Holidays and decided that they could not ignore that market.

Cannot see that as neither Jet2 or Jet2 Holidays offer anything from Liverpool.

[dwlpl]

Cannot see that as neither Jet2 or Jet2 Holidays offer anything from Liverpool.

easyJet Holidays is UK network wide.

[dwlpl]

It wasn't anything to with Jet2.

I have been to more than one meeting by your senior sales people and they say different.

[easyflyer83]

How can Jet2 batter easyjet in an area they effectively didn't compete in? It was certainly an unexploited revenue stream (so you could argue they were losing money that way) but it certainly wasn't adversely effecting the airline. Remember that when EZY holidays was launched the airline was, as it is today, growing load factors, revenue and yield.

Like I said, Jet2 holidays is becoming more and more competitive to the big two IT operators than it is to Easyjet to the extent where jet2 Holidays is a different model.

[dwlpl]

It wasn't anything to with Jet2.

Because Jet2 were filling their aircraft with 'packaged' holidays.

[JSCL]

It's merely an ancillary revenue exercise. Yes it may be to do with Jet2/Holidays. It's killing two birds with one plane - packages and flight only pax. So Easyjet outed the idea to Low Cost Travel Group who operate Easyjet Holidays for easyJet. Simples.

[davidjohnson6]

It's very difficult to argue that easyJet should not have set up a package holidays brand whether Jet2 were doing it or not.
Large transport companies have been using this device to sell more bums on seats for years. Want a holiday to the USA ? Any of the large airlines can book you into hotels and sell you car hire - as long as you buy flights with them. Similiar thing with ferry companies or even coach companies. It moves the customer from a neutral travel agent who gets either commission or fees and is relatively agnostic between airlines to an in house own brand travel agent that sells flights on only one airline. If some punters are too lazy or lack confidence or knowledge to do their research into what's available from other suppliers why shouldn't easy take advantage ?

[easyflyer83]

Because Jet2 were filling their aircraft with 'packaged' holidays


Now I'm not saying for one minute that Easy have made the wrong move launching the holiday brand but people are putting too much emphasis on it IMO. As others have said, it is first and foremost an extra ancilliary revenue stream from a 3rd party as opposed to taking market share from Jet 2 or anyone else for that matter.

[rapidman47]

Because Jet2 were filling their aircraft with 'packaged' holidays
And Easyjet were filling their aircraft and increasing yields at the same time. Theres a reason why the I.T market has been left with just 2 major competitors + Jet 2. Margins are tight and the market very competitive.

Now I'm not saying for one minute that Easy have made the wrong move launching the holiday brand but people are putting too much emphasis on it IMO. As others have said, it is first and foremost an extra ancilliary revenue stream from a 3rd party as opposed to taking market share from Jet 2 or anyone else for that matter.
This is about to change as you will see. That's why they are in talks:ugh:

[EI-BUD]

This makes perfect sense to differentiate themselves from their toughest competitor Ryanair, and Liverpool is one of the points where they both have huge interests. Any way to drive extra demand for their flights in a sense is reducing their risk from being solely reliant on passenger ticket sales for flights.

Jet2 are excellent at diversifying and this has been the secret to their success, take Belfast as an example, they have frieight work, and then a range of seasonal routes that collect good fares to destinations that the competition have no interest in, and there is unlikely to be a dog fight for these markets e.g. Dubrovnik, Pisa, Jersey, Blackpool, Toulouse. The holiday offering is another way to diversify their offering and takes their reliance away from competing head on with the like of Easyjet and Ryanair on a like for like basis.

In Belfast Jet2 got off Faro, Barcelona and Malaga routes when competition intensified between easyJet and AerLingus. Now Jet2 is back on Faro and now fly to Alicante which at this point in time has 4 carriers on the route from Belfast (bmibaby will only be unitl June)...

Easyjet have a holiday proposition, but it certainly to my mind doesnt seem to be shouted about the way Jet2's is. Good luck to Easyjet with this one, they are a company of scale and when they get after this they will make a success of it.

EI-BUD

[easyflyer83]

Rapidman, if it happens then I will happily conceed that I was wrong but I can't see it mate.

You use the head banging emoticon which is exactly how I feel because as I keep saying over and over again, the structure of Easyjet Holidays is completely different to Jet2 holidays so it would require a complete change of direction. That could happen in theory of course but I doubt it and especially not just for LPL.

Easyjet are an airline, they do what they do well and generally they have a great brand. In my opinion the jet 2 airline brand had become blurred to the extent now where I regard them more of a IT company rather than anything else. It seems to work for then but I just don't see Easyjet going full hog and becoming a tour operator.

As it stands and strictly speaking, easyjet holidays is not a tour operator.

[MKY661]

Its Berlin-Brandenburg Titles:
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af218/gatto04/VB-GIL-G-EZEZ-DX.jpg

[dwlpl]

And Easyjet were filling their aircraft and increasing yields at the same time. Theres a reason why the I.T market has been left with just 2 major competitors + Jet 2. Margins are tight and the market very competitive.

Now I'm not saying for one minute that Easy have made the wrong move launching the holiday brand but people are putting too much emphasis on it IMO. As others have said, it is first and foremost an extra ancilliary revenue stream from a 3rd party as opposed to taking market share from Jet 2 or anyone else for that matter.

As I have said its easyJet reply to the march Jet2 stole on them for a few years now, ask your most senior sales people and they will conform it.

[easyflyer83]

But it's not going to lead to a charter esque operation that some on the forum are getting exciting about because that isn't what easyjet holidays are about. Simple.

And whilst nothing surprises me about easyjet, internally atleast, such a refocus should have taken place during the I.T sales peak which as you will probably know, is immediately after the Christmas holiday. That is when Thomson and Thomas cook really began their promotion like they do every year. Any refocus by easyjet now is Mis-timed in my opinion.

[dwlpl]

But it's not going to lead to a charter esque operation that some on the forum are getting exciting about because that isn't what easyjet holidays are about.

I didnt say it would.

[rapidman47]

Me either I just reported what the news paper said its easy who is reading things into the post as usual :ugh::ugh:

[Seljuk22]

April 2012

Passenger: 5,124,597 +8.6%
Load Factor: 89.3% +2.8 pp
easyJet Passenger Statistics for April 2012 (http://otp.investis.com/generic/regulatory-story.aspx?cid=2&newsid=248691)


During April 2012 7 new A320 were delivered to easyJet.


new routes from Switzerland:

from 28th October BSL-BRU 6 weekly
from 28th October BSL-BUD 4 weekly
from 29th October BSL-MAN 4 weekly
from 31st October BSL-SCQ 2 weekly

from 14th December GVA-SEN 3 weekly
from 21st February GVA-SVQ 3 weekly

In the first 6 months of the financial year EZY trnsported 1.18mln (+10%) passenger fom BSL and 2.65 mln (+7.5%) passenger from GVA.
Load factor climbed from 84.6% to 89.6%
Fort d (http://easyjet.production.investis.com/media/latest-news/news-year-2012/09-05-2012a-fr.aspx?sc_lang=fr-FR)

[flyer55]

Are Easyjet going to merge their operations at lgw into one terminal?

[Fairdealfrank]

Anyone know why U2 is in both terminals?

[adfly]

It all goes back to the GB airways purchase, before then they were only South Terminal. I personally think some major re-organising needs to be done to each terminal with the South being primarily Low-cost/Charter/Minor airlines and the North as Full-service/regional airlines. This could also help Gatwick to improve its appeal to fussy Business pax as they would not have to worry about sharing a terminal with horrible, evil holidaymakers!!

[Skipness One Echo]

It's even simpler. They're too big to fit into the one as they have so many over nighting aircraft.

[Fairdealfrank]

Quote: "It all goes back to the GB airways purchase, before then they were only South Terminal."

Quote: "It's even simpler. They're too big to fit into the one as they have so many over nighting aircraft. "

Thanks adfly and Skipness One Echo, makes sense now!

Quote: "I personally think some major re-organising needs to be done to each terminal with the South being primarily Low-cost/Charter/Minor airlines and the North as Full-service/regional airlines. This could also help Gatwick to improve its appeal to fussy Business pax as they would not have to worry about sharing a terminal with horrible, evil holidaymakers!!"

Interesting idea, adfly, it would be a big upheaval for VS and BE to shift from LGW-south (looking at a map, shouldn't that be EAST?!) to LGW-north.

Wouldn't it be a lot easier if the terminals were simply LGW-1 and LGW-2?

[Skipness One Echo]

Well the North Terminal is to the North of the SouthTerminal so seems OK I think.
Virgin don't want to have to move the Clubhouse as it would be rather pricey. There is/was an exisiting strategy to get the long haul carriers into the North Terminal to make use of all the space BA no longer use. Continental and NWA both moved across following Thomsonfly to join First Choice, leaving Virgin and USAirways. I think they stopped this after both CO and NW left soon after their moves....
It's a bit of a mish mash but not unworkable.

This could also help Gatwick to improve its appeal to fussy Business pax as they would not have to worry about sharing a terminal with horrible, evil holidaymakers!!
Remember BA Gatwick focusses on holidaymakers.

[chaps2011]

`Remember BA Gatwick focusses on holidaymakers`
Also Easy have a lot of business pax:D

Ian

[racedo]

Also Easy have a lot of business pax

Define lots and how much their value is..

[chaps2011]

I couldn`t give figures but I used to work in business travel and we sold many
seats and I know from a friend that they sell even more than when I was there


Ian

[easyflyer83]

To be fair, frequent schedules ex LGW to many of Europes major Cities make EZY quite a popular choice for business passengers. What you have to remember is that businessmen aren't always execs and they aren't always suited and booted. Lots of technical staff, shop floor personnel etc etc travel on business.

There is also a gross stereotype of the business passenger. From experience they are generally easy to please. Most aren't pre-madonnas, they generally get on, sit down and don't give you any trouble. Generally polite aswell. As much as I like holiday flights, the city routes are actually quite easy for crew.

As for the terminals themselves, some people like to nicely box certain airlines into certain terminals. In essence that doesn't tend to achieve anything. It's no good grouping airlines together if one terminal becomes dead late afternoon whilst the other is having capacity issues.

Specifically easyjet, I think the operation at LGW might just be too big for just one terminal.

[racedo]

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/Airbus%20A319-111%20G-EZFI%2005-12.pdf

BBC News - EasyJet and Belfast International Airport respond to report (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18116303)

It doesn't make for good reading but thankfully Easyjet had the luck with them.

[ArtfulDodger]

An easyJet flight made an emergency landing after a mid-air fight on board.

Full story here....... Gatwick emergency landing after on-board fight (http://wp.me/p2jrV4-zL)

[Silvertop]

An easyJet flight made an emergency landing after a mid-air fight on board.

I very much doubt that the Captain declared an "emergency" to just make a "diversion" into LGW to off-load a pair of chavs!! :ok:

[Killigrew]

The Captain did declare a PAN, though.
The little scumbags had managed to polish off a bottle of Southern Comfort, between them, in the space of about 30 mins.
The crew were really left with no choice but to divert.
:ugh:

[getonittt]

Just out of interest, do these vile people go onto some sort of no-fly list . If not , then why not!

[Robert G Mugabe]

If there was a no fly list that would impact on our revenue stream as most passengers expect a champagne service on beer money. Some are just the scum of earth.

However they behave on the aircraft as they behave at home so there is no hope for them or their offspring.

[TSR2]

as most passengers expect a champagne service on beer money.

Nonsense, absolute nonsense in my opinion.

[davidjohnson6]

Some will recall that in March 2011, Easyjet closed the Stansted-Newcastle route after many years of existence.
I note that Easyjet still run a Luton-Paris CDG route, albeit with a few minor reductions since December 2009.

With the vast capacity, frequency and speed that comes from Eurostar trains and the (relative) city centre location of St Pancras and Gare du Nord, along with the ease of getting from the Luton area to St Pancras and the likely high charges at CDG, I'm somewhat puzzled as to how Easyjet make money on this route. London-Glasgow / Edinburgh by contrast takes well over 4 hours by train, compared to just 2h20 for London-Paris. Furthermore, unlike BA / Air France, there is no connecting long haul traffic worth subsidising

I know these are 2 bases, so this will help the profitability figures, but it still seems to be an anomaly for all the talk about deploying staff and aircraft to gain the maximum return on capital.

Can someone explain how this route manages to keep going ?

[jdcg]

Trains from Newcastle to Kings Cross are often much cheaper than a flight (off peak anyway) and it's a much smaller market. LTN's catchment area (even discounting London itself) is quite large and Eurostar is at least £59 return, often much more. So EZY can stay fairly competitive and still make money I suppose

[EI-BUD]

davidjohnson6

I think its fair to say that sheer movement of people between London and Paris is immense when compared to London to Newcastle.

Moreover, London Paris was traditionally the busiest International route inside Europe until we got channel Tunnel. Considering competitive pricing anybody living reasonably close to Luton, can conveniently fly to Paris with Easyjet. For the local catchment it could prove just as handy going by train.

Also considering the level of tourists in the market London/Paris, there is fairly good pool of people available.

Considering also the amount of flights withdrawn since Eurostar opened it goes to show the amount of demand was there previously for eg bmi withdrew 8 daily flights from LHR.

If I recall Go introduced STN NCL...

EI-BUD

[PAXboy]

EasyJet set to close Madrid base - News & Advice - Travel - The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/easyjet-set-to-close-madrid-base-7869787.html)
Low-fare airline easyJet is proposing to close its Madrid base from winter 2012/13 but will continue to fly to the Spanish city from other bases. The budget carrier said it was reviewing options for its eight Madrid-based aircraft and 310 crew.
Press Association report

[EZYA319]

A very sad day for all involved. Some very good people at the base and it will be a shame of they are unable to stay in the company!

I really didn't see this one coming and I don't think many other did either, least of all those at MAD.

Best of luck to all those concerned.

[davidjohnson6]

If Easyjet closes its Madrid base, presumably this means Easyjet will no longer have any bases in Spain, while Ryanair has about 11 bases in Spain (even if some of them are pretty small) and Vueling has 6

Yes, Spain is going through a tough time economically. Yes, profitability and return on capital is more important than being macho with the most planes flying the longest routes. But this still indicates to me that Easyjet is signalling it's giving up on the core Spanish market (i.e. people living in Spain) and ceding the territory to Ryanair and Vueling.

[onyxcrowle]

Can we have those aircraft back at DSA then ;) oh n maybe give HUY a try ! . Only this time workable destinations and times !. On a totally side note I caught the back end of 'Airline' today on one of the sky channels I hadn't seen it before n it seemed recent . Leo looks way older now . Have they started making it again ?

[mikkie4]

would like to see those aircraft come to SEN

[easyflyer83]

A sad day obviously for MAD based colleagues.

[AirGuru]

Sad day for the 310 staff or so at MAD, i wish them all the best in finding future employment within the Spanish economy which currently is not too great.
Well, the question is what to do with these 6 aircraft ? Do they expand current bases or create a new one or two ?
BHX as you say has been rumoured. SEN is more than likely up there as well. I would like to see a few aircraft at CWL if im honest. That place is dying for a UK based low-cost carrier that had brand recognition in the UK. Vueling haven't been doing too badly there, but they have had to build up their entire brand and customer identity from scratch. Something that EZY would have no problem in doing as they are UK renowned in the UK.

[SWBKCB]

Yep - EZY will have good brand recognition in Cardiff because of their considerable presence just down the road at BRS?

[AirGuru]

It is 50 miles away. Far enough to run the two. Other airports are much closer together and both still go hand-in-hand.
Put into context, LPL and MAN are around 30 miles or so apart, BHX and EMA are around 40 miles or so apart. Both co-exist, although not all EZY bases you get the point

[yeo valley]

could do with a few more based in brs.

[berkshire boy]

Quoted by Travelmole, one of the reasons given by Easyjet for closing the base at Madrid and reducing capacity was the rise in airport charges there.

"EasyJet said charges at Madrid had more than doubled in two years and would be subject to further above inflation rises in the coming years."

[Stone Cold II]

Ezy wil never be putting aircraft into CWL so forget that ever happening.

[easydan319]

Hopefully not too many routes will be axed from Madrid. The following could still be served by the other bases:

Basel, Berlin, Bristol, Edinburgh, Geneva, Lisbon, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Luton, Lyon, Manchester, Milan Malpensa, Paris CDG, Rome and Toulouse.

Routes which will probably be axed. Quite a lot of competition!

Amsterdam (IB/I2, UX, KL)
Bilbao (IB, FR, UX from October)
Bordeaux (YW)
Copenhagen (IB/SK)
Heraklion (YW)
Dubrovnik
Ibiza (IB/I2/YW, UX, FR, VY)
La Coruna (YW)
Mahon (IB/I2/YW, UX, FR, VY)
Naples (I2)
Olbia (YW)
Venice (IB)

[livermouse]

Manchester to Madrid finishes in October

[dwlpl]

September.

[livermouse]

Sorry thanks for the correction

[StoneyBridge Radar]

I stand to be corrected if needs be, but I was told this morning that all MAD routes are zeroed out from September, but that it does not mean all MAD routes are to be canned.

Sounds like some schedule jiggling might be being looked into. I guess things will become more clear over the next few days, but my feeling from this morning's chat is that MAN is not necessarily dropped for good.

Watch this space...:confused:

[MKY661]

Not suprised really. Iberia have also dropped MAN-MAD as well.

[h&s]

Not a surprise really. The base never ever made a positive contribution to easyJet results. They should not have opened it at the first place...

Low costs at network carriers hub rarely make money (except U2 at CDG because of AIRFRANCE non sense, or Ryanair at DUB vs. a previously very weak EI), contrary when entering rich secondary cities (GVA, MIL, BCN, BER etc). Plus low yield market, plus most competitive hub airport in Europe with Ryanair AND easyJet plus IB express and Vueling, plus internal mistakes (some ridiculous routes such as BOD, SOF, or OTP; bad revenue management with all their VFR or summer only routes always sold out 2 weeks before departure), plus the environment (e.g. arab spring killed their good morocan routes), plus future taxes increase etc etc

Re-SEN, they won't switch aircraft from underperforming bases to underperforming bases. It will go to their good countries where competition is weak and corporate demand strong i.e. France (probably 3 or 4 ac), Italy (2) and Swiss (1 each for BSL/GVA). I doubt the UK will get any.

[easyflyer83]

Who knows. Could be anywhere

[dwlpl]

If the UK gets any then that undermines the APD Tax argument.

[davidjohnson6]

h&s - you mention that LCCs rarely make money at network carrier hubs.
While not strictly a hub, British Airways has for many many years been a major player at London Gatwick - until the sale in 2007 of GB Airways to Easyjet, British Airways was the dominant airline at Gatwick. While BA like all airlines has had its good and bad years, it would be difficult to describe it pre 2007 as a particularly weak or badly managed airline

Using your argument, how did Easyjet manage to make money at Gatwick pre 2007 ?

In addition, how does Norwegian manage to compete out of Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm ? Air Berlin at Dusseldorf, Munich or Zurich ? Niki (now AB) at Vienna ?

[StoneyBridge Radar]

If the UK gets any then that undermines the APD Tax argument.

The biggest problem with APD is that it makes marginal routes and bases that bit more marginal.

More successful hubs will ride the storm and consolidation is inevitable.

[easyflyer83]

DWLPL at no point has the APD argument come with a commitment not to base extra aircraft in the UK. I am pretty sure that the UK will see some of MAD's aircraft.

[FR-]

Easyflyer, any idea what UK base will get an extra a/c or two?

fr-

[SecondDog]

Surely BFS is in line for an extra a/c. EI pulling out alows them to start a TFS/ACE and there is lower APD there.

[BHD2BFS]

I hope so second dog, more than likely would have to be a 320 aswell.

[david1994]

Does anyone know when the based A320 will arrive at BFS? It was meant to arrive on June 20th but hasn't so far?

[New Starter]

Is Southend likely to get any more aircraft?

[dwlpl]

at no point has the APD argument come with a commitment not to base extra aircraft in the UK


“The rise in APD hits regional airports hardest and increases the pressure to move aircraft to mainland Europe. The Government seems to think that APD is a free lunch. It isn’t; it costs jobs in the UK.” - 2009

[easyflyer83]

Is that an explicit commitment or a mere comment made 3 years ago? You could even argue that MAN isn't a regional airport in that sense. Either way, the Continent has been lucrative for Easyjet but it's not without it's problems as we have seen this week.

[StoneyBridge Radar]

That quote merely reiterates what has already been raised on this read, that aircraft may be be moved from marginal, regional bases if APD makes those routes and bases more marginal.

There's nothing in that old statement which precludes aircraft being moved to profitable routes in the UK and to bases within the UK where APD has had less of a negative impact.

I'm thinking MAN and LGW specifically.

[EI-BUD]

Does anyone know when the based A320 will arrive at BFS? It was meant to
arrive on June 20th but hasn't so far?


Hi David, I dont know the answer to your question but my understanding is that it was intended for the peak summer months of July and August. So I would imagine from 1st of July.

I have noticed a fair amount of 320 activity by EZY lately. Many London flights have had 320 particulary around Christmas and Bank Holidays times. The early Glasgow arrival in the morning seems to be 320 some of the time and I think it has been making an appearance from NCL and LTN.

The 320 goes GLA-BFS-GLA-ALC-GLA some of the days as far as I know.
but alas not a based one at BFS.
EI-BUD

[easyflyer83]

The A320 gets around the network widely now. Whilst still very much outnumbered by the A319, there are still almost 50 in the fleet.

MAN an LGW are 320 heavy and ORY is all 320. Most UK bases have atleast one 320 and whilst they are predicated on the long distance routes, they do also operate the shorter hops aswell.

[cjags]

Is Southend likely to get any more aircraft?

I imagine it will once the new terminal there has been extended sometime towards the end of 2013 for summer 2014. The stands are ready though :D

[Severn]

Below is a near accurate list of all the EZY bases.


EZY
EZY currently have 146x A319 and 44x A320.
LGW - 21x A320 (Around 22-27? A319 (+1 that N/S in BCN))
LTN - 3x A320 (Usually 13x A319 (+1 that N/S in DTM))
BRS - 2x A320 (9x A319)
LPL - 1x A320 (8x A319)
SXF - 1x A320 (7x A319)
ORY - 6x A320
MAN - 4x A320 (2x A319)
BFS - 1x A320 (5x A319)
EDI - 2x A320 (3x A319)
GLA - 1x A320 (3x A319)
NCL - 1x A320 (2x A319)
NCE - 1x A320 (1x A319)

The following are the bases with no A320's based:
MXP - 17x A319 (+1 that N/S in NAP)
CDG - 10x A319
STN - 9x A319
MAD - 8x A319
FCO - 4x A319 (+1 that N/S in PMO)
LYS - 4x A319
SEN - 3x A319
LIS - 2x A319
TLS - 2x A319


EZS
EZS currently have 15x A319 and 5x A320.
GVA - 3x A320 (10x A319)
BSL - 2x A320 (5x A319)

[HH6702]

NCL is 1x a320 and 2x a319 not 1x a319

[Severn]

I believe that is what is says??
"NCL - 1x A320 (2x A319)"
You may have misread NCE (as in LFMN (Nice)) which has 1x A319 and 1x A320.

[PPRuNeUser0178]

EDI has 2 320's and 3 319's

[Zippy Monster]

DRS - 1x A319

Not sure where you mean here, but there are no aircraft based in Dresden.

Do you mean an A319 that nightstops in Dortmund (DTM)?

[Severn]

ezydriver... that is what the list says, 3x A319's and 2x A320's.

Zippy.... Thanks for that, meant DTM and not DRS, and for some reason forgot to put it by LTN's based a/c list.

[IB4138]

easyJet Plus card membership

Myself and my good lady are Plus card holders. Our current cards expire at the end of August.

This morning, we both received emails from easyJet, advising that our cards were about to expire and we should renew. Just five minutes later, two more emails arrived, advising that our cards had expired today.

Are easyJet so short of cash that they are attempting to trick people into renewing Plus Card membership two months early and cut the membership for the current year by two months?

[BHD2BFS]

Someone mentioned on the BFS thread a few weeks ago that ezy plan launching 2 new routes from BFS anyone here know what they are?

[edi_local]

easyJet Plus card membership

Myself and my good lady are Plus card holders. Our current cards expire at the end of August.

This morning, we both received emails from easyJet, advising that our cards were about to expire and we should renew. Just five minutes later, two more emails arrived, advising that our cards had expired today.

Are easyJet so short of cash that they are attempting to trick people into renewing Plus Card membership two months early and cut the membership for the current year by two months?

The first email seems sensible enough. Warning someone about 8 weeks before their card expires seems perfectly reasonable to me. Enough time for someone to consider renewing and give them enough time to do so before they are left without a plus card. If you renew now then presumably you will get 14 months until the benefits run out, so not a con. They may also be increasing the price soon, so perhaps nudging you to accepting the current price?

The second email just seems like an error as if your cards really do expire in August then an email containing the wrong date is obviously incorrect. Email them back and point it out.

[EZY7117LPL]

Apparently easyJet are to roll out out allocated seating! :D
Nothings been announced yet but it looks as though its most likely to happen.

[IB4138]

Bad mistake to remove this USP.

If you are different from the rest and successful, why change the formula?

It ain't broke, no fix needed.

[racedo]

IB4

Agree

Easyjet have been a follower for a long time rather than being innovative.

I expect to see U2 being added to another airline in next 3 years as think they lost their way.

[Little Blue]

You think??
I can see Ryanair following our lead on this, very shortly.

Easy are a very different airline from the one that I joined a few years ago.
It's all about evolving and moving with what the markets are asking for.

Stand still and expect to be overtaken.

:ok:

[The Flying Cokeman]

Racedo,

Just do not get too disappointed after next 3 years :p

[stakeknife]

Doubt it, Market value way above what any airline group could afford. They could merge but don't see it. Stretch target probably exceeded this year and aviation analyst liking the strategy thus far. Then again it's aviation so who knows!!

[EZYA319]

Rumour has it however that easyjet Plus cards will remain in one form another allowing pax to choose their seats via this channel. They're trying to incorporate it into the allocated system, that as easyflyer83 said WILL be coming as the trial is going very well by all accounts.

Racedo, I very much doubt that. If we've lost our way then certain other airlines must have gone waaaaay of course!

[IB4138]

So, if a Pluscard holder books the day before a flight is due to depart and they want to sit in the first 5 rows of the cabin, all of which have already been allocated, are they going to bounce someone down the cabin to accommodate the Pluscard holder? That is what I will expect if the Pluscard holder is me. It is the ONLY way it can work...or you reserve the first 5 rows for Pluscard holders, some of whom may be late bookers.

If you do not,you devalue the benefits and in this case remove one of the main benefits of having a Pluscard.

This really has not been thought through.

[Stone Cold II]

The vast majority of people have been crying out for allocated seating. A lot of people choose not to use easyJet because of the current boarding process.

The trial is showing that the passengers like it and they are able to board quicker since nobody is faffing about with what seat to use. You also do not have to pay for an allocated seat as one will be given to you regardless but no guarantee that it would be one that you want unless you pay a small fee. I understand plus holders will not be charged to select any seat and will still be boarded first.

easyJet is not making a mistake, it's just for once listening to its customers and giving them the option if they wish to choose it.

[EZYA319]

IB4138 Don't get ya knickers in a twist. I never said I knew how it was going to work, I just said that this is what I believe to be being looked at in conjunction with the allocated seating trials.

Also to be fair, a pluscard does not guarantee that you will be able to get the first 5 rows now anyway, it just means you will be one of the first on the aircraft. Say for example we have a large number of assistance passengers, plus a large number of speedy boarders on that particular flight and your at the back of the SB queue those first 5 rows may already be gone.

[IB4138]

easyJet chairman expected to resign in next few days, to take over chair at Barclays.

it's just for once listening to its customers

It clearly is not. The majority of Pluscard holders do not want it. It's the passengers who don't want to pay for a Pluscard or Speedy Boarding that want it, the concept having been "mis-sold" to them, to get a "Yes" opinion. They see something for nothing as being potentially on offer.

Say for example we have a large number of assistance passengers, plus a large number of speedy boarders on that particular flight and your at the back of the SB queue those first 5 rows may already be gone.

Far too many seats are usually blocked for passengers requiring assistance and are often released later in the boarding pattern.

[davidjohnson6]

Being one of the first to board an all economy cabin in itself is not a particularly valuable perk. Combined with a free seating policy its value goes up dramatically as it then allows a pretty good choice of seating. Move to allocated seating and the perk then diminishes in perceived value even if all the legal wording remains valid.

Suppose that on Monday-Friday flights, the first couple of rows are reserved for allocation to card holders with a proviso that cabin crew move people before departure to ensure emergency rows are not vacant. Would that solve the conundrum ? Loyalty card holders (which is what they are effectively) still have a useful perk for their money. Other passengers can either pay up to sit wbere they want or get luck of the draw (back of the bus) for free instead. Easyjet increases the average ancillary spend per passenger.

Plenty of legacy airlines have managed this balancing act for years between gold card holders, late bookers, those paying full fare in respective cabin and the cheapskates. Easy are a large airline - they should be capable of achieving the same objective

[Little Blue]

Not going to happen.

Not even after half a bottle of of Rioja will I swallow that !
Mrs McCall knows just what side her bread is buttered on....

[dwlpl]

Not going to happen.

Not even after half a bottle of of Rioja will I swallow that !
Mrs McCall knows just what side her bread is buttered on....

You do now what she is, dont you?

[Stone Cold II]

Majority of the passengers who fly with easyJet are not plus card holders. I do not know what or if there will be improvements for plus card holders. I'm sure there will be some changes to off set the point you've made.

[EI-BUD]

easyflyer83; I agree with you comments, easyJet is a good airline, I think they are great to fly with and I find the experience very enjoyable, they fly to locations that are convenient for me and the addition of pre assigned seating will mean a much more relaxed and stress free boarding experience.

EI-BUD

[pwalhx]

I would like to see the evidence Plus Cad holders dont want allocated seating I do.
I would also ask the question are there any regular flyers that like unallocated seating?

[TSR2]

As Plus Card holders pay £238 per year for a couple, I would not be surprised if the majority were not in favour of allocated seating as it makes the main benefit worthless.

[davidjohnson6]

I'm a regular flyer with Easyjet and like the unallocated seating. When flying alone it means I have a very good chance of a seat near the front of the aircraft. For a 2 hour flight what matters to me is being able to get out of the airport when I arrive quickly. If flying with only hanx luggage, no need to wait for the baggage handlers and I prefer to go through immigration without having to queue behind everyone else.

[EI-BUD]

TSR2; I was reading the various emails that easyJet sent out re Allocated Seating and Speedy Boarding. It seems clear that the trial period will give Speedy Boarders 'some of the best seats on the aircraft' but I cannot find anything that says that this wont be the case going forward, though the very 1st suggestion of pre assigned seating did say something about it.

It will be good to see what the finished product looks like, ie vis a vis speedy plus card holders. Speedy Boarders are technically the 1st to board so if they dont get the pick of seats prior to the flight then technically it is not very beneficial buying speedy boarding. They will have to leave it as per the trial, ie Speedy Boarders get the choice.

I find the card exceptionally good value for money under the current arrangement.

[Ramper1]

" far too many seats are usually blocked off for Asisstance pax, and then later released during boarding ".

This is because we only get told how,any assistance pax there are, not how manyare travelling with them. Some also have assistance booked by insurance company, and have paid for three seats. We as crew don't get this information till the passenger arrives., hence so many seats blocked. There is nothing worse than not having enough seats blocked off , and then tryin g to move pax after.......,ost of which are speedy boarders in front rows, and will Not move as they have paid for the right to sit there. Then you delay boarding and stress people out!!!! It's best to over allocate and release, than under allocate and move!!!!!!

We also have no idea of their condition on boarding....whether they are a complete carry on ( which they need the row in front and behind empty to enable them to be lifted into position ) or have broken legs ( need to have leg on the three seats) or what. There is a reason why seats are blocked off, so please don't assume that it's always overly blocked off.

[IB4138]

The problem with your explanation is that in the past, I have witnessed seats being blocked on boarding and then used by off duty crew and their families traveling to/from holidays.

[EZY7117LPL]

Personally I am all for allocated seating as it would make the whole process quicker, less stressful and in my opinion that little bit extra value for money.

From my opinion the current boarding process only seems to work at some airports, I only fly from Liverpool in the UK and it is very organised there.

However in spanish airports for example there is no queueing system so some passengers force their way to the front to try to get good seats and there is virtually no control of who is and who isnt speedy boarding. You can tell people are anxious to get good seats! So much so that as soon as they see a gate agent walking over everyone jumps up from their seats and runs to get into a queue, its the same around FIDS - a little crowd gathers and as soon as the gate is announce people are literally running and pushing. Im sure most people will consider this a vast improvement.

[IB4138]

However in spanish airports for example there is no queueing system so some passengers force their way to the front to try to get good seats and there is virtually no control of who is and who isnt speedy boarding.

What a load of bullocks! I never encounter problems at Spanish airports and the SB queuing system is far better organised than at several UK airports.


easyflyer83

It is MAN and LPL crews that I have found guilty of this practice and to be fair, has never happened to me with a LGW based crew.

[IB4138]

we're all speedy boarding plus card holders

You may be, but the rest of the family are not, unless they have purchased cards at the massive discount that staff family members are offered....and friends certainly are not....and they board late with hangovers.

Most crews are brilliant, but you still have a few who need weeding out.

It has happened to me twice with a MAN based crew and once at LPL. PM me and I can describe the guilty parties. They may already have left the company, as I have not seen them on flights this year.

[Ivor Fynn]

IB4138,

I am easyjet crew and as ef83 states all employees are SB card holders and frankly most of us willingly pay the extra for SB for our families when we go on holiday. The one thing we can do for our work colleagues is look after them when they do fly on one of our flights. Dry your eyes princess!

Ivor

[IB4138]

Why, Ivor, should they receive preferential treatment to any other Plus card holder, as they should not?

I think your post answers this! You do give them preference!

[Ivor Fynn]

IB4138,

thats just the way it is, no one said life was going fair (I will always try and look after my work colleagues), deal with it or go elsewhere!

Ivor

[IB4138]

Oh dear Ivor !

I don't think your CEO will like your attitude or practice....but thanks for that, I shall print it off and send it to her.

easyflyer83

It's flight crew who blocked these seats for use of their late boarding, holidaying, colleagues and family.

[pwalhx]

I have a friend and he will always sit in an aisle seat in the hope noone will sit in the other two seats, I suggest that is blocking seats. So as said passengers do it in their own way.

[bmibaby.com]

I'm sure we shall now all wait for a memo saying that off duty or positioning cabin crew cannot be looked after in any way, shape or form due to busy bodies emailing the CEO ... :rolleyes:

[IB4138]

Perhaps you don't get the point bmibaby.com.

On one occasion, it was two whole rows (3 and 4)..12 seats in total.

[Ramper1]

We're these crew in uniform or not?? We're they all crew ?. How do you know this if they are not in uniform. If they are positioning crew...uniformed or not, they may have reason to have been in the font of the aircraft I.e connecting to another aircraft waiting for them on their arrival? Just asking - just can't see why you are so upset?

[Ramper1]

Easy flyer.....please explain how my reply is slightly exaggerated??!!! Do you know the exact condition of the passenger you receive at the aircraft door??? You only get told whether they are a Romeo, sierra or Charlie. That is all. You don't get told if they can stretch their leg, bend their leg etc until you see them. Flying 12 years for the company, i still havent acheived phsycic powers that informs me of their status...I would like you to explain how you can tell the condition of the passenger............

[IB4138]

The crew were not in uniform, but recognizable from previous flights and the attitude and speech of the cabin crew to them...like when are you back at work? etc. As I said crew and family...some were their grand parents.

Why am I so upset?...look previously on this post as to what happened regarding emails on my Plus card expiry. I told easy an apology was not sufficient.....and what do I get ..just an apology. I want your staff discount of 40% for family members, when I renew in recompense for the cock-up, especially after the appalling attitude that some of you have shown with your posts.

I have been a loyal easyJet customer and was once involved in the industry, but am now retired. The present modus operandi does not need changing. There is no need for change for changes sake regarding boarding policy.

The attitudes expressed toward passengers on this forum today just sicken me; shows that easy need to take a hard look at some of their crew and their attitudes and is a reason why the industry in the UK is in such a mess. Now that is where the change is needed.

If you don't like the job, leave and do us all a favor. There are plenty of cabin crew out of work, who would love your jobs.

I have several PMs from other easyJet crew who are disgusted by your attitudes, but will not come on an open public forum, as you have done, to express their feelings.

....and Ivor, I have already copied your posts.

[EZY7117LPL]

This has gone off topic a bit!
Back to allocated seating:
The only people who dont want it and are complaining are those with plus cards, why not try and think about what it would be like for say families with young children, the elderly etc who dont travel often enough to warrant the need for a plus card but can't get seats together - these are the type of travellers who really need it. Everyone will benefit from allocated seating. Plus I'm sure some people would have a lot to say if British Airways for example announced that they would be moving to free seating - opinions would change then. People like allocated seating!

I dont know what they are going to do with plus cards but I think that what they will probably allow free reservations of seats of the passengers choice and will probably still board them first - they will benefit from this because they will get onboard before the rush of the other passengers and therfore will ensure good space in the overhead lockers.

[IB4138]

Another youngster having a pop!:rolleyes:

Back to the allocated seating argument.

I am more disabled than at least 50% of the people who claim this privileged on flights. Yes, I will always sit in an isle seat. to answer a previous post, as I have arthritis in my knees, back, feet and hands. I am a Plus card holder, but am stopped at times from taking the seat I wish to occupy, by them being blocked for people who are less "disabled" than me and in all honesty, do not require "assistance".

So.should there be a new category of Plus card holders who are medically/physically impaired and require "assistance" on boarding to take their seats, before seats are blocked for other passengers, who have not paid for speedy boarding, to occupy?

I am being disadvantaged by this practice. Am I better, not paying for a Pluscard/Speedy Boarding and simply declaring myself in need of assistance for boarding?

You would be surprised by the number of people who have required "assistance" on boarding, who sprint of the aircraft on landing and do not then require "assistance" to get off the aircraft.

Can someone address this very valid point?

[pwalhx]

IB I have to agree your reaction to an email obviously sent in error is totally over the top. I would suggest an apology is more than adequate.

(To be clear I have no connection with Easy other than as a passenger).

[Ivor Fynn]

IB,

you obviously do have a disability, the size of the chip on that shoulder is enormous!! I suggest that next time you book you request assistance because you are special.

Ivor:E:E

[IB4138]

easyflyer83
I'm not saying anything about you, however Ivor Fynn is something else. I hope I am never on a flight that you are crew on.

You are not aware of the battles I have had with easy that I am not at liberty to discuss here, as it is between me and management, as has been settlement.

However, it would appear nothing has changed by what has occurred this week.

[pwalhx]

Then IB so this is all nothing to do with allocated seating or the email you received the truth is you have a long running issue with the airline, maybe if you had said so people would have understood better.

[IB4138]

I've not been particularly offended by anything you have said up to now but your comment about 'youngsters' really is offensive.

Not intentional, I can assure you and I noticed the last poster's age, but quite a few younger people in the UK will not listen to advice from elders these days. The one's that do learn a lot. We do have experience and knowledge to pass on.

Then IB so this is all nothing to do with allocated seating or the email you received the truth is you have a long running issue with the airline, maybe if you had said so people would have understood better.

Yet they are the airline I prefer to use before Monarch and Jet2.

However, no one at easyJet appears to listen to criticism of existing practices. They could well use a "mystery passenger" on flight to report on cabin crew performance and assessments from managers/training managers on flights.

[737Jock]

Why am I so upset?...look previously on this post as to what happened regarding emails on my Plus card expiry. I told easy an apology was not sufficient.....and what do I get ..just an apology. I want your staff discount of 40% for family members, when I renew in recompense for the cock-up, especially after the appalling attitude that some of you have shown with your posts.


So you are upset about this?:

easyJet Plus card membership

Myself and my good lady are Plus card holders. Our current cards expire at the end of August.

This morning, we both received emails from easyJet, advising that our cards were about to expire and we should renew. Just five minutes later, two more emails arrived, advising that our cards had expired today.

Are easyJet so short of cash that they are attempting to trick people into renewing Plus Card membership two months early and cut the membership for the current year by two months?

I don't get the idea you are reasonable in the slightest way.

As a loyal easyJet customer you know you only need to show your easyjet plus card at the gate. The gate agents will check the date on your card visually. There is no computer system that would interfere by a wrong date. So you would not encounter any problems or difficulty in using your nearly expired card!

The email seems like an honest mistake and you received an apology. But it is not something that would reasonably entitle you to any discounts.
It seems like a storm in a glass of water to me.

Take some advice of a "youngster" and relax a bit. It's not good for your heart!
As for the rest of your undoubtly well intended advice, I am sure you ignored enough advice when you were young. It's the old elderly vs young drama!

[PhilW1981]

Typical of your average consumer these days, wants compensation for this, that and the other. Honest mistake with the dates of a renewal, I want compo. Bit of turbulence, cause me to smudge my makeup, I want compo, Lager not cold enough, compo please. Pathetic quite frankly.

[IB4138]

History, Jock, history.

As for my past history, you have no idea! Perhaps I should write book and let some of these younger people read how it used to be. Then they just might understand. Perhaps it might explain why I have been cautious since Stelios no longer had control.

Lager not cold enough

Never is and never has been on UK airline flights.

Now in the old days on IB, lager used to be served iced, with a few ice crystals on the top.

[pinhammond]

I always find reading posts that praise easyJet to be vaguely amusing. I had flown with them on at least a dozen occasions, always because there was no alternative. Not one of those flights was pleasant in any way. Speedy boarding was a complete con and on one round trip no attempt was made by them to provide it although they had taken my money. By contrast Ryanair has always been very competently delivered and ALWAYS on time. Given the choice I would never go anywhere near easyJet.

[easyflyer83]

Personal opinion......if you're trying to make the assertion that I over praise easyjet then you are wrong. Easyjet isn't a perfect airline but the product is good and by god it it ten times that of Ryanair.

2 consistent compliments that you get as an Easyjet crew member.....

1) That was a great flight, I was dreading it. (I always want to ask why they booked it if they dreaded it)

2) You're so much better than Ryanair/You're Rolls Royce compared to Rynair etc etc.

Now I like to be objective. Ryanair is successful, they have fantastic OTP and network coverage even if it is all a bit "secondary". But consistently i hear that Ryanair is let down by it's crews. Where as at Easy it is the crews that seem to shine. Even if I say so myself.

[GCILover]

I have flown both easy and ryanair. Never had an issue with easy speedy boarding even in european destinations when the aircraft has been parked on a remote stand. I would pay 3 times as much to go for easy over ryanair as their service outshines ryanairs every time for me

[TSR2]

Like myself, it would appear that IB4138 has a health condition that falls short of requiring special assistance.

Surely IB4138, allocated seating would be a benefit to you as it would allow you to board the aircraft at your own speed whilst taking advantage of the seat of your choice.

[EI-BUD]

Every airline has it USP's, certainly Ryanair has many and easyJet does too. A passenger can have an awful experience on any airline even a well established legacy carrier who has all the trimmings. Ironically, the two compete less and less and are after different markets, and someone mentioned earlier that they only go easyJet if they have to, or if there is no other choice, well as far as Ryanair or easyJet are concerned there are so so many markets where there is in fact no choice love or hate them but you must use them to go on certain routes. Dublin is a case in point many of the busy routes like LPL, LTN, STN, EMA, LBA, NCL, you only have Ryanair. The same is true of many markets easyJet serve.

They have their distinct USP's
Ryanair has to be punctuality and price, a young fleet of Boeing Aircraft and a huge network of routes.
Easyjet has to be convenient airports, the staff (I feel that as they are often local to the base, as is the case here in Belfast, the staff know a lot of the customers), frequency of flights between key business centres.

Both are profitable giving shareholder return and creating employment.
So lets agree that they are not perfect and recognise what they are strong at respectively.
EI-BUD

[737Jock]

It is and will always remain a low cost airline. When Stelios was in control it was a small flying club where everybody knew everybody. And Stelios would buy the customers a round from the trolleys if he was on board.

Now it is a FTSE200 company. With 204 aircraft and one of the most profitable airlines in europe. It's big and slow! Over 6000 employees etc etc...
It brings it's problems!

But I have also flown shorthaul on KLM-AF, Iberia, Airberlin, Lufthansa and BA. And to be honest it is all the same crap! And a bag of peanuts or a mini can of coke doesn't change any of that. Taking for instance the Eurostar/Thalys or TGV is a much better experience. Less hassle, less competitive more relaxing.

People get what they are willing to pay for, air travel is for the masses and they want it CHEAP! People find a 400 euro ticket London to Rome too expensive. In fact anything over 100 euro is thought too expensive. But they expect scenes from the movie "catch me if you can" too unfold while paying peanuts.

Often a single seat means the difference between a profit or a loss for a specific flight.

Maybe you should read this book IB:
Seconds to Disaster. Europe edition eBook: Glenn Meade, Ray Ronan: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

That is something you and the entire public with their desire for cheaper air travel should really worry about.

[i_like_tea]

737Jock, I thought low cost has left our business objectives now?
Best Value isn't it? :ok::E

[easyflyer83]

The industry isn't what it is.....granted but books like that are largely sensationalist. The industry is still largely regulated and certainly there is a very healthy safety culture at Easyjet......and indeed at every other airline I have worked for.

[TSR2]

Are you saying that easyjet employ pilots that are not up to the job ?

Or are you just having a whinge at terms and conditions which you as a group have allowed to deteriorate over many years without much resistance.

[EI-BUD]

I know quite a few pilots who are on probabtion, or the initial period of 8 months, while I recognise that this is often a time of significant personal expense, and not just type rating but for some yonger starters it is the massive cost of overall pilot training, it is great to get a start, and get their flying career going on. easyJet is a big company and a good one to have experience with.

If the candidate is flexible there are opportunities. I know one guy who starter in UK and took up permanent position in France and all through the first 8 months he was quite confident that he would get full time position.

There is strong regulation on pilot flying hours, and given that easyJet work within these, coupled with level of training and qualification that the pilots have when they start, I would have no safety concerns whatsoever.

Not taking from the feeling/sentiments that you have expressed 737Jock.

EI-BUD

[i_like_tea]

Contract captains is nothing more than a rumour, why state it like a fact??

[Ivor Fynn]

ef83,

You would do well to listen to some of the Captains, some do have a few stories to tell reference SOME of the cadets/ flexi FO's.

Ivor

[737Jock]

Yes I have, and so have the pilot unions! And this is not about T&C's either. It's a combination of an environment with regulations that are less strict due to reliance on self-reporting.

But you are probably right about the location of the forum, so I deleted 2 posts.

The book however is not exaggerated, and the issues regarding EASA are very real. And I find it insulting that you involve T&C's into the discussion.

[easyflyer83]

Well i'm sorry if i offended but for a large part of the flightdeck community it is about T's&C's, atleast partly. From various topics on the Easyjet board many explicitly say that they are scared of your profession/role becoming a glorified bus driver. I for one don't believe that you guys come anywhere close to being anything like a bus driver but the undertone of the argument is often about the devaluation of your profession....pure and simple.

I think you are wise to delete your posts as we were skating on thin ice and the last thing I want is anyone to have tea and biscuits and certainly not for things to get into the public domain, things that could easily be taken the wrong way or blown out of proportion.

My point regarding EASA was that it merely brings us in linewith other European countries so it doesn't automatically mean it is unsafe. I don't particularly agree with it and I don't support it but that was my point.

[mikkie4]

punch up reported on easy flight to malaga,police called just before take off from SEN,yobs escorted off of plane,£80 on the spot fine each,loss of holiday,poss easy ban, full story in local paper

[easyflyer83]

punch up reported on easy flight to malaga,police called just before take off from SEN,yobs escorted off of plane,£80 on the spot fine each,loss of holiday,poss easy ban, full story in local paper

The only really is Essex for that group then. Haha I just had to.

We're in the middle of the rowdy season on many routes, it quietens down for the school holidays but peps back up again for September. Rowdy doesn't necassarilly mean unruly and outrageous and those flights are often quite fun to do. What a shame idiots like this spoil it.

[fjencl]

Thats last weeks news.........:):):)

[Seljuk22]

June traffic figures

Passengers: 5,434,763 +9.7%
Load Factor: 89.9% +1.6pp
easyJet Passenger Statistics for June 2012 (http://otp.investis.com/generic/regulatory-story.aspx?cid=2&newsid=255968)

[greatoaks]

Just wondered how the trials are proving in reality.

Can any Ezy crew on here give their opinions to the effect on turnaround times if any.
Also what method is employed on board to prevent pax sitting in already allocated seats?

many thanks

[EGPFlyer]

All seats are allocated on the trial flights. You just have to pay extra to choose, otherwise it's done for you when you check in.

[easyflyer83]

Apparently the trial is going pretty well. So far, it is having a minimal effect on OTP and apparently plenty of passengers are taking advantage of choosing own seat. All seats are allocated as Someone has already said and a couple of boarding methods are being trialled.

The official line is still very much that this is still a trial but Carolyn McCall has pushed for this and according to the training department it most certainly is a case of when and not if allocated seating is rolled out. We already knew that anyway.

[paully]

Well done Carolyn McCall the sooner its rolled out to all flights the better. Always try to fly easyjet and allocated seating is long overdue..Good move IMO:ok:

[GlasgowBoy]

Yes, bring on network-wide allocated seating!!:D

I love everything about EZY...apart from their seating policy. I'm over 6ft in height, and I really struggle to sit (comfortably) in a standard seat for 4/5 hours. Given that I fly to PFO 3/4 times a year, booking extra legroom is a must.

Currently I fly Jet2/TCX from GLA, however, I'd be more than willing to travel through to EDI (or indeed MAN, BRS, LON depending on cost) if I can pre-book extra legroom seats on EZY.

Nobody likes a stressful airport experience. Sounds pathetic I know, but when I fly EZY, I'm always paranoid about being at the front of the SB queue and hell bent on getting to the overwing exit seats!! The amount of fights I've almost got into!:eek::=

Knowing exactly where I'm sitting on a flight, makes my time passing through the airport all the more relaxing. Like I said, EZY are (imo) perfect in almost every single way...just the seating policy, which will hopefully change!:ok:

[TSR2]

Knowing exactly where I'm sitting on a flight, makes my time passing through the airport all the more relaxing.

And that makes all the difference particularly when going on/returning from holiday.

[Skipness One Echo]

So isn't that just an added cost? I have rarely not gotten a decent seat so unless I fork out more money, I am at the whim of Menzies or Servisair? Pay up or back to the 1980s would be my take out.

[MKY661]

I think allocated seating is much better than speedy boarding so i think this is a good move by EasyJet. Speedy boarding is pointless if you are using a bus gate as they put on passengers with speedy boarding and without speedy bording on the same bus so therefore wasting money.

[davidjohnson6]

The family with small kids flying to Malaga for their annual holiday gain significantly from a move to assigned seating.

The solo frequent traveller who lives near a major airport, flies with only hand luggage, pays for the ticket from their own money (i.e. no expense account claim) and who doesn't have any special mobility needs really loses out with a move to assigned seating. Being a frequent traveller in a major airport, he/she may use a variety of airlines, so doesn't see a benefit from a Plus card.

Apart from when a flight really is full, there always seems to be a sole unoccupied middle seat near the front exit regardless of how late you board, which makes it easy to get off the plane quickly, be near the front of the queue for any kind of immigration control, whizz through customs (no need to wait for a baggage carousel) and get out of the airport and onto a final destination as fast as possible.

Being assigned a seat at the back of the bus would *really* annoy this kind of passenger.

[TSR2]

Being assigned a seat at the back of the bus would *really* annoy this kind of passenger.

Not if he/she purchased the seat of their choice.

[easyflyer83]

Even the self employed business passenger would just put it on expenses plus for your average seat it won't be very expensive at all. £3 as per the current trial.

In truth, many (by no means all) of our regular passengers prefer the free seating system and in the vast majority of cases the seating policy works. However, it does cause some travellers to be anxious/worried and it does detract from an otherwise good product. As i mentioned a few pages back, in some, albeit few, cases people won't book Easyjet because of that where as I don't believe people wouldn't fly EZY because they have allocated seating. So in essence it is designed first and foremost to improve the overall experience aswell as to mop up any passengers who wouldn't normally consider the airline because of the seating policy.

I think allocated seating is much better than speedy boarding so i think this is a good move by EasyJet. Speedy boarding is pointless if you are using a bus gate as they put on passengers with speedy boarding and without speedy bording on the same bus so therefore wasting money.

I'm pro allocated seating, always have been and never really championed the speedyboarding product. It's never really been needed from a pax point of view in my opinion, even though I am a Easyjet plus card holder.
However, there is no reason why the bussing of passengers should turn speedy boarding into a failure. A few airports, I'm sure don't grasp this but most do. You'll find SB's either have a separate bus or a cordoned off area. The problem with SB is more to do with passengers conduct in the terminal to be honest and even that can be solved if staff manage things correctly....and again many do.

[Mouser]

What about staff travel, I use staff travel and more often than not, you have to wait depending on the time of year and selected route,so it could be down to 3 or 4 days before seats become available, if trail uptake has been popular I could be struggling to get seats together,thats not a whinge just an observation.

[edi_local]

What about staff travel, I use staff travel and more often than not, you have to wait depending on the time of year and selected route,so it could be down to 3 or 4 days before seats become available, if trail uptake has been popular I could be struggling to get seats together,thats not a whinge just an observation.

Isn't that the risk of staff travel on any airline though?

Lucky enough to get seats at all in some cases, but seats together is highly unlikely when assigned seating comes in to play.

[lfc84]

Ask someone to move so the staff travel people can travel together. I've seen it done elsewhere.

Last weekend, a parent and child stood in the aisle were told that "all we can do to enable you to sit together is to ask someone to move". Cue - puzzled faces.

[groundagent]

What about staff travel, I use staff travel and more often than not, you have to wait depending on the time of year and selected route,so it could be down to 3 or 4 days before seats become available, if trail uptake has been popular I could be struggling to get seats together,thats not a whinge just an observation.

What about staff travel?

If you are lucky enough to get an opportunity to travel on a bargain ticket price, you have to appreciate that the price is a perk and not a right. If seats are available a couple of months out, great, if they are not available until a few days before, it is likely you will still be able to book seats together.

In other companies, most staff travel is restricted to a limited number of confirmed seats and then your company may offer (or be offered by other airlines) standby seats. You could be in the airport, at the gate, and not able to fly. I guess at least then you can get seats together in the terminal if the flight leaves with out you ;)

If you want to guarantee it, nothing stops you paying a full fare :eek:

[kriskross]

You obviously don't know what EZY charge staff for Staff Travel - have found it cheaper on a normal pax seat if there are discounts offered.

[easyflyer83]

I've always found staff travel to be very cheap. £5 flat fare plus tax. It means even Tenerife and Paphos can be £35 return if both sectors are on staff travel fares.

The problem is of course that the seats get released onto staff sale using historical data (I.e last years sales) and so there are times when the day before the flight departs only 90% of seats are booked and it still doesn't release staff fares because the 'the computer' thinks it will sell those remaining seats. This isn't usually the case and combined with no shows some flights are departing with a fair few spare seats that could otherwise be filled by fare paying staff fares. Albeit very cheap fares.

This is where standby staff travel will help when it gets rolled out at the end of the year.

[EI-BUD]

Sometimes staff travel is not available and on less frequent routes in peak season can be hard to find, though I find from Belfast if in the case that I cannot get staff travel to where I am going directly, I sometimes do a connection somewhere in UK or on continent as appropriate, AMS, LGW, STN, LTN, MAN etc. Still represents good value for money. And if the direct flight comes up nearer the time I can ring and for £5 change to it and move the 2nd flight of the connection to a different route and different day.

I find staff travel great for host of reasons, not only the price but the avoidance of admin fees, credit card charges and very low prices for suitcases, it also means certainty ie not on standby. well done easyJet.

EI-BUD

[Mouser]

Hang on groundagent , I said it was an observation and not a whinge.

[davidjohnson6]

Easyjet + Mondial have launched a new insurance product called "Missed Flight" cover. Essentially, if you miss your flight, but are in a fit state to fly (i.e. have passport and not drunk) and turn up at the departure airport no more than 4 hours late, you get a seat on the next flight for free or a full refund. Cost is £7.50 per single flight or £9.50 for a return. No scaling of premium to allow for varying ticket prices. No proof needed - saying you overslept is a valid excuse. No exclusions. Not even any excess.

Thinking through all the possible scenarios, this seems too good to be true and a clever passenger could use this as part of a strategy when booking.

Wanna do a trip, flying home on an 8 pm flight ? Is the 8 pm flight home looking expensive, but the 4 pm flight is much cheaper ? Why not
1 - Book the cheaper 4 pm flight
2 - Pay for the insurance - no more than £9.50 for a round trip
3 - At 3 pm, check that flights for the 8 pm flight are still on sale - i.e. there is still space on the evening flight home
4 - "Accidentally" miss the afternoon flight
5 - Turn up at the departure airport at 7 pm and make a claim at the sales desk.
6 - Get on the 8 pm evening flight (which you always wanted) instead

Yes, there's a risk that the 8 pm flight home is full, but if you're willing to take the risk, it makes flying much cheaper (and trashes the yields for Easyjet !)

Alternatively:
Booked a weekend trip away, but decided you don't want to go any more ?
Paid for a non-refundable ticket because a refundable ticket cost much much more ?
Just turn up at the airport with your passport after the flight has departed but within 4 hours of scheduled departure, tell the sales desk you want a refund, and your ticket magically becomes refundable !
Why pay the extra for a changeable non-refundable Flexi ticket, when just £9.50 for a return gets you a refundable ticket ? Oh yeah, and those Easyjet yields might take a bit of a tumble again...

In technical terms, this seems to be insuring for "disinclination to travel" and potentially allows for someone to profit from insurance, rather than just being covered against loss.

Am wondering how many days it'll be before Easyjet pull this insurance product from sale or give it a significant modification, while citing technical issues...

Any of the pricing / yield gurus out there want to comment ?

[cu nim]

Any new routes from Manchester

[DomyDom]

easyflyer83,
Did I hear somewhere that NAP was also being considered or is this off the table for now?
DomyDom

[DomyDom]

Thanks easyflyer83, you're tit-bits are appreciated. DomyDom:)

[wowzz]

I am waiting for anyone to tell me why davidjohnson6's brillant ideas will not work, apart from the lack of alternative flights on many routes.
If I'm booking an early morning flight out of LGW and getting a more expensive mid-day flight for less than £10 - fine - on the other hand are EZY really losing anything? EZY get a share of the insurance premium and are filling a seat that would be empty in any case. Unless thousands choose to take advantage I think they are on to a winner.
In my own particular case, STN-ALC, for most of the year, there is an early morning flight and a late afternoon and/or late night flight. Why turn up at the airport at 10:00 and then sit around for 6 hours in order to get a supposed bargain?
On routes with multiple departures, it may be possible to expoit the system, but for most pax I fear that there are insufficient flights to make this idea a goer.

[paully]

I suspect the hand of the shrewd Ms McCall here..its a PR triumph and one in the eye for their chief competitor, and any downside will be offset by the goodwill and re assurance it generates. It shows Easy as a company trying to look after their customers. Personal anecdote here, two weeks ago was doing Lpl-Gib checked in on line the night before and my printer messed up the printouts..too late to replace the inks.Turned up expecting Ryanair type grief, instead met with cheery re assurance went to bag drop and they happily printed new boarding cards free of charge.Same on the return.

Add up all the little things, throw in professional crews,new aircraft, reasonable fares, allocated seats and whats not to like :ok::D

[TSR2]

Best Low Cost Airline in Europe and 5th Worldwide. Well done easyjet.

[Airbourne-Adamski]

EXCLUSIVE: Lebanon talking to easyJet, Ryanair in tourism push.

Authorities in Lebanon are in talks with low cost carriers including easyJet and Ryanair about starting operations to the country in a bid to boost a tourism industry that has been rocked by political turmoil in the Arab world, including neighbouring Syria, Tourism Minister Fady Abboud said in an interview with Arabian Business.

"Indeed we are talking to Monarch Airlines, easyJet [and] Ryanair - we're talking to all of them," Abboud said in an interview from Beirut. "But Lebanon's civil aviation will not give them the right to land - they say 'yes you can come from London, but we want 25 extra flights to Heathrow'."

Abboud said he intends to table a proposal at the July 18 cabinet meeting to endorse the plans. UK-based easyJet's only destinations in the Arab world are Jordanian capital Amman and Marrakech in Morrocco.

"I have a complete plan that I want to introduce low cost flights and chartered flights," he said. "The hotels are ready to give special prices. I don't want to reinvent the wheel. I want to do what Dubai did a few years ago when they had a problem, or what Egypt or Tunisia is doing now. You know you can spend a whole week in Tunisia now for €400 in a hotel plus the ticket."

Full Article : EXCLUSIVE: Lebanon talking to easyJet, Ryanair in tourism push - Transport - ArabianBusiness.com (http://www.arabianbusiness.com/exclusive-lebanon-talking-easyjet-ryanair-in-tourism-push-466221.html)

[EI-BUD]

easyJet will sub lease a Titan aircraft for 14 days commecning July 25th until August 7th to cover the delayed delivery on an Airbus. This will predominantly be based at LGW but will do some STN work too.

EI-BUD

[Manchester Kurt]

Got a flight booked for mid-September (less than 60 days) with EasyJet, but not able to check-in online.

Is this to be expected?

[Double Hydco]

You can check-in online from 30 days to 2 hours before the flight.

It's mentioned on the website.

DH

[davidjohnson6]

New online check-in window (http://easyjet.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5536)

[Manchester Kurt]

Ah ha, many thanks. Didn't know that.

[FR-]

· Revenue Per Seat up 4.7% at constant currency to £57.58

· Load Factor up 2.8% to 89.1%,

· On Time Performance, up 3% to 87%

· Cost Per Seat including fuel up 5.3%, excluding fuel up 1%

The success of the ‘europe by easyJet’ campaign and the recently launched mobile app have both contributed to seat sales, with the mobile app now accounting for more than 2% of sales. We have also added capacity in key markets to improve returns, such as in UK, France, Switzerland and Italy.

Looking forward, we have around three quarters of summer seats now booked, in line with the previous year. With the continued strong operational and financial performance of the business profit before tax for the year ending 30 September 2012 is anticipated to be in the range of £280 million to £300 million, as long as there continues to be normal levels of disruption.

fr-

[DomyDom]

easyflyer83,
Do you happen to know and can you tell us why MAN-MAD was canned rather than LPL-MAD? It seems very strange given the apparent success of the Manchester route. Was it a political move given the fleet reduction at LPL, or down to pure economics? Hopefully it will be back for next summer? Thanks, DomyDom:confused:

[mikkie4]

anything extra for southend?

[Mouser]

DomyDom, why should LPL be in your words canned, the LPL-MAD is a well established successful route, maybe the MAN-MAD was not as successful as you think, including Easyjet how many carriers have now pulled this route.

[davidjohnson6]

It is surprising that the Manchester-Madrid route should go from 3 airlines (Iberia, Easyjet and Ryanair) to none in a short period of time - even if Govt / airport tax rises 10 euros.

I recall a few years ago a similiar collapse occurred on the London-Nantes route. Shortly afterwards I think flybe reopened the route.

I would not be too surprised if next summer or in 2014 one carrier decides that with the other 2 players gone that it's worth restarting the route

[BHD2BFS]

Any news on expansion from BFS since EI are leaving? Possible canaries routes?

[easyflyer83]

RE: MAN-MAD Easyjet. LPL-MAD is indeed well established and I'm sure at the time the decision was made, it was probably thought to protect the LPL service rather than battle it out with FR and IB (both of who have also now dropped the route). Curiously, Easyjet haven't yet informed passengers that the route isn't operating so who knows what they have planned. Things seem up in the air regarding MAD and it wouldn't surprise me if MAD made a return at some point, possibly with ZRH.

New routes for next year are looking increasingly like VCE, KEF and JMK. Nothing confirmed still but the first two routes come from directly from a most reliable source within the carrier.

Moscow also being evaluated from both LON and MAN. Yes I know they need to apply for rights but nevertheless it's being looked at.

[DomyDom]

Thanks easyflyer83.

[FR-]

If any route was to go from LPL, my money would be on BRU, the loads are shocking.

fr-

[davidjohnson6]

FR - isn't LPL-BRU being dropped at the end of October ?

[FR-]

So it is, cheers for that, didn't even notice. I would of thought that route would of done much better from MAN.

fr-

[dwlpl]

Liverpool to Madrid has always had excellent loads.

[neil_2008]

Hi, anyone know the release date for summer 13 schedules, I seem to recall it was last weekend in July last year?

[davidjohnson6]

neil - you're not the only one to be pondering this topic. Easyjet, Ryanair, Wizzair, flyBE, Germanwings and Norwegian are all yet to release anything beyond the end of March

http://www.pprune.org/passengers-slf-self-loading-freight/491789-spring-2013-seat-release-date.html

[racedo]

Think all airlines will be watching the economic and non economic conditions over next 6 months as factor in recessions across Europe, potential attack on Iran, US Presidential election economic impact plus a few others not thought off and everybody will be cautious before releasing too much.

Days of everybody booking a year in advance are over for the majority, though some people still wish to give the airlines money a year in advance.

[easyflyer83]

I don't think easyjet has ever released summer schedule this early. Give it until September I think.

[shamrock7seal]

Come on easyJet, this is long-overdue.

Venice, Rome, Nice, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Barcelona, Funchal,

The above are only a few suggestions that would be sure to occupy an aircraft or two.

Your Bournemouth-Geneva flight has been going strong now since 2005!

[easyflyer83]

I just don't see a BOH at all. Sorry

[KNT544]

I just don't see a BOH at all. Sorry

BOH is served by EZS from GVA, available from 15 Dec.

[pug]

Shamrock, why would BOH become a base of all places? Despite that dont easyjet have a minimum if three aircraft at a base anyway?

[easyflyer83]

I know EZY operates to BOH. They also operate to AMM and I don't see a base there either.

[Double Hydco]

BOH is served by EZS from GVA, available from 15 Dec.

Actually, the last two winters it's been operated by EZY, using a STN crew operating a W pattern. Not sure about this year.

DH

[KNT544]

Thanks DH. Its a few years since I used it hence the confusion. (Should have stuck to my original message that it was part of a w pattern :ok:)

[Dct_Mopas]

BOH - GVA is also operated by LPL aircraft (in the same way as LBA is). Always amusing to see the crews selling the liverpool echo newspapers to bournemouth passengers, rather confused!!

[shamrock7seal]

Pug, why? Because BOH has been fairly steady during the recession - this year should see around 675-700,000 pax. In fact if you look at individual routes that have remained since '07, they have seen good growth over the period. The airport sees more international passengers that Southampton and Exeter and is part of the largest conurbation in the South of England after Bristol. It is far away enough from LGW not to affect its market share.

Plus with Ryanair only on secondary points, there are several gaps in need of filling at the airport including those mentioned.

Also the success of the BOH-GVA route, with 6 flights weekly has been operating since winter 2005 demonstrating that the airport is not entirely seasonal.

[pug]

Pug, why? Because BOH has been fairly steady during the recession - this year should see around 675-700,000 pax. In fact if you look at individual routes that have remained since '07, they have seen good growth over the period

But Ryanair had to go seasonal?

I'm sure out of all of the airports in Europe that they dont currently have a base at, BOH will be way down on the agenda, if they are on the agenda at all.

[BHX5DME]

Hopefully BHX is towrads the top of EasyJets list of potential new bases ?

[Binder]

Yes but Bordeaux is probably even higher up the list!:ok: