Survey into low-cost v full service
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Twistedenginestarter,
I agree with your point. Connectivity is part of the key. It is all very well saying you can change your budget ticket if you like, when they will not offer through ticketing. For example London to Amsterdam to Paris in one day, overnight in paris then back to say Glasgow. At every single flight sector, you must collect luggage and re-check in. And, the airline has no care if any of those sectors are delayed and a connection is missed. Its about efficiency, reliability, connectivity and many other factors which all together make your life easy when travelling ten days in a row. By the time you have been on six flights, the last thing you want is hassle. If I were say a student again, then I would fly (or bus/train) the cheapest way. The priorities in business are very different.
Budget carriers make a lot of fuss that they carry business travellers, and if it were the most convenient flight I would fly with the budget carrier. If I were travelling like I did in the past, and the company instilled a policy of budgets only, then I would be looking for a new job. People who do not fly a great deal, really have no appreciation of the effect it has on the body over time. Many companies who now insist on budget airlines only, are the type of companies who previously did not allow staff to fly (2nd class rail only).
I think you are bang on the button with BA and regional routes, connectivity is the key.
for all the budget fans, look, I didn't mention in flight meals once. That really is a red herring, and is not the reason serious business frequent flyers choose BA over say Easyjet. But after a full week of European meetings, it is sometimes nice to get pampered on the flight home.
I agree with your point. Connectivity is part of the key. It is all very well saying you can change your budget ticket if you like, when they will not offer through ticketing. For example London to Amsterdam to Paris in one day, overnight in paris then back to say Glasgow. At every single flight sector, you must collect luggage and re-check in. And, the airline has no care if any of those sectors are delayed and a connection is missed. Its about efficiency, reliability, connectivity and many other factors which all together make your life easy when travelling ten days in a row. By the time you have been on six flights, the last thing you want is hassle. If I were say a student again, then I would fly (or bus/train) the cheapest way. The priorities in business are very different.
Budget carriers make a lot of fuss that they carry business travellers, and if it were the most convenient flight I would fly with the budget carrier. If I were travelling like I did in the past, and the company instilled a policy of budgets only, then I would be looking for a new job. People who do not fly a great deal, really have no appreciation of the effect it has on the body over time. Many companies who now insist on budget airlines only, are the type of companies who previously did not allow staff to fly (2nd class rail only).
I think you are bang on the button with BA and regional routes, connectivity is the key.
for all the budget fans, look, I didn't mention in flight meals once. That really is a red herring, and is not the reason serious business frequent flyers choose BA over say Easyjet. But after a full week of European meetings, it is sometimes nice to get pampered on the flight home.
Join Date: Feb 2001
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I remember my collague who travelling from LON to FRA and back. Company suggested to use no-frills (Ryanair). OK, the return ticket price was fine, but man spent DM 270 each way on taxi from HHN to FRA, that's around EUR 275 in total.
Join Date: Nov 2000
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Contacted, I think you're right, and here's some documentary evidence.
I need to go to Geneva next Wednesday afternoon for a day. Here are a couple of itineraries:
British Airways: . .06/02/02 BA 2738 LGW-GVA dep 1445 arr 1755. .07/02/02 BA 2739 GVA-LGW dep 1805 arr 1840
Easyjet:. .06/02/02 EZ 972 LGW-GVA dep 1120 arr 1500. .07/02/02 EZ 975 GVA-LGW dep 1910 arr 1955
Reasonably similar timings, one would have to admit. And the prices (economy seat in BA):
BA - £499.20. .EZ - £140.00
(NB I took the most expensive itinerary EZ offered - other flights would have been cheaper still).
Wonderful as BA is, there isn't £360 of value in the service BA provides over EZ. Companies aren't stupid and will find ways to incentivise their employees to use the low cost carriers over time. In short, one of these companies has a viable business model, the other I'm not so sure about!!!
I need to go to Geneva next Wednesday afternoon for a day. Here are a couple of itineraries:
British Airways: . .06/02/02 BA 2738 LGW-GVA dep 1445 arr 1755. .07/02/02 BA 2739 GVA-LGW dep 1805 arr 1840
Easyjet:. .06/02/02 EZ 972 LGW-GVA dep 1120 arr 1500. .07/02/02 EZ 975 GVA-LGW dep 1910 arr 1955
Reasonably similar timings, one would have to admit. And the prices (economy seat in BA):
BA - £499.20. .EZ - £140.00
(NB I took the most expensive itinerary EZ offered - other flights would have been cheaper still).
Wonderful as BA is, there isn't £360 of value in the service BA provides over EZ. Companies aren't stupid and will find ways to incentivise their employees to use the low cost carriers over time. In short, one of these companies has a viable business model, the other I'm not so sure about!!!
