Archive for the 'easyJet' Category


EasyJet adds 8 routes to winter schedule

class="alignright size-full wp-image-29445" title="New flights to Germany and cities such as Hamberg are included in Easyjet's winter schedule " src="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/germany-hamburg-speicherstadt.jpg" alt="New flights to Germany and cities such as Hamberg are included in Easyjet's winter schedule" width="234" height="153" /> href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/Easyjet/">EasyJet yesterday announced that it will expand its winter schedule with the launch of eight new routes.

New flights from Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol and London Gatwick airports have gone on sale as part of the new route network, which runs from 31 October until March next year.

One-way, all-in fares starting at £25.99 are among the 11.5 million seats made available for the period.

title="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/Germany/" href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/Germany/" target="_self">Flights to Germany feature among the new routes, with Hamburg being served from the airline’s base at Manchester Airport.

Also included in the northern airport’s new route network are title="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/Amsterdam/" href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/Amsterdam/" target="_self">flights to Amsterdam and Gothenburg, along with new Lyon services from Liverpool and Bristol and to Basle from Edinburgh

Commenting on the expansion to the route network, the airline’s UK general manager Paul Simmons said: “EasyJet’s priority is to provide passengers with the widest range of destinations to the most convenient airports, with the lowest fares and no hidden charges.”

The airline is offering a further 80 routes than it did the previous winter. Its summer schedule was also subject to expansion, with 36 new routes throughout Europe added.

© Cheapflights Ltd


(more...)


EasyJet traffic soars as BA nosedives

class="alignright size-large wp-image-29300" title="Passenger traffic released for June" src="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/airport-shop-610x457.jpg" alt="Passenger traffic released for June" width="225" height="168" /> href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/Easyjet/">

href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/Easyjet/">EasyJet enjoyed a bumper 9.4 per cent spike in passenger numbers last month, new figures show, even as total volume at href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/British-Airways/">British Airways slumped by a worrying 11.1 per cent.

The low-cost carrier transported 4.54 million passengers in June – up from 4.15 million one year ago – while the load factor measuring occupancy of its planes rose to 87.2 per cent.

By contrast BA saw year-on-year passenger volume plummet from 2.93 million to 2.57 million, with business being interrupted by strike action during the first nine days of the month.

Britain’s flag carrier has been hit by 22 days of walkouts so far this year, though hopes are growing that disaffected staff may be close to reaching a settlement with the airline.

The Unite union representing BA cabin crew has postponed its latest strike ballot while members consider a new proposal that includes several concessions over BA’s recruitment drive. The peace deal does not, however, reinstate travel perks for crew who went on strike – a key sticking point.

BA boss Willie Walsh has said the company is in a “fight for survival” and that the cost-cutting measures which heralded the dispute are essential for the airline to remain competitive.

In addition to easyJet’s strong performance in June, low-cost rival href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/Ryanair/">Ryanair also reported a 15 per cent jump in passenger traffic last month, carrying a total of 6.71 million passengers.

© Cheapflights Ltd


(more...)


New low-cost terminal for Bordeaux Airport

class="alignright size-large wp-image-28473" title="Low-cost flights to to Bordeaux" src="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/france-bordeaux-vineyard-610x450.jpg" alt="Low-cost flights to to Bordeaux" width="258" height="189" />A terminal dedicated exclusively to low-cost carriers has opened in the south-western French city of href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flight-guide-to-Bordeaux/">Bordeaux.

Billi terminal, short for for Bordeaux Illico, will attempt to capitalise on the boom in no-frills href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/Bordeaux/">flights to Bordeaux from UK airports – currently operated by Ryanair and easyJet.

The terminal will also offer href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/Ireland/">flights to Ireland with Aer Lingus, as well as services to Denmark, Portugal, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Morocco.

Airport developers built the terminal specifically with low-cost travellers in mind, aiming to turn around flights in 25 minutes by speeding up boarding queues and bag collection.

Low-cost air traffic to Bordeaux has been growing by an average of 20 to 30 per cent every year, prompting local authorities to prioritise the development of the Billi terminal. Nearly half a million no-frills travellers took a flight to Bordeaux last year, compared with just 120,000 in 2003.

It is estimated that 665,000 people will travel through the airport with a low-cost carrier this year – equivalent to about one fifth of the passengers visiting the region.

© Cheapflights Ltd


(more...)


EasyJet deals: £10 off flights to Italy & Portugal

class="alignright size-full wp-image-28288" title="easyJet sale" src="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/easyjet-sale.jpg" alt="" width="330" height="217" />

To commemorate their first World Cup matches of the tournament, title="www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/easyJet/" href="www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/easyJet/" target="_self">easyJet is offering a £10 discount on selected title="www.cheapflights.co.uk/Italy/" href="www.cheapflights.co.uk/Italy/" target="_self" class="broken_link">flights to Italy and title="www.cheapflights.co.uk/Portugal/" href="www.cheapflights.co.uk/Portugal/" target="_self" class="broken_link">Portugal.

Flights departing between 25 June and 30 September are eligible for the offer, which is available only today and tomorrow and can be booked online by entering the promo code SOCCERIT at href="http://www.easyJet.com">easyJet.com.

Commenting on the time-limited discounts, a spokesperson said: “Football may not be your kind of thing but we think this summer’s tournament is an event worth celebrating.”

It added: “Keep coming back to easyJet.com over the next few days to see more great ‘Soccer Specials’ offers.” The deal comes as part of of a series of World Cup-themed discounts being run by the airline.

© Cheapflights Ltd (Picture credit: href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31157565@N08/3084735380/" target="_blank">dazzy1960)

id="_mcePaste" style="overflow: hidden; position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px;">To commemorate their first World Cup matches of the tournament, title="www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/easyJet/" href="www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/easyJet/" target="_self">easyJet is offering a £10 discount on selected title="www.cheapflights.co.uk/Italy/" href="www.cheapflights.co.uk/Italy/" target="_self" class="broken_link">flights to Italy and title="www.cheapflights.co.uk/Portugal/" href="www.cheapflights.co.uk/Portugal/" target="_self" class="broken_link">Portugal.


(more...)


EasyJet adds new flights to Gothenburg

class="alignright size-full wp-image-27754" title="EasyJet new Sweden flights" src="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Easyjet-new-Sweden-flights.jpg" alt="EasyJet new Sweden flights" width="259" height="166" />Marking the start of possible expansion into the Swedish market, title="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/easyJet/" href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/easyJet/" target="_self">easyJet has begun selling flights from title="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airports/Gatwick/" href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airports/Gatwick/" target="_self">London Gatwick Airport to title="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airports/Gothenburg/" href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airports/Gothenburg/" target="_self">Gothenburg.

One-way fares are available from £27.99, including taxes. Although easyJet has offered services out of Sweden’s capital Stockholm for some time, the Gatwick href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/Gothenburg/">flights to Gothenburg mark the first direct route the low-cost carrier has ever operated between the UK and Sweden.

EasyJet UK general manager Paul Simmons welcomed the latest addition to the low-cost carrier’s route network.

“Launching our first UK route to Sweden demonstrates easyJet’s commitment to providing even more choice for our passengers,” Mr Simmons commented. “We think Gothenburg is going to be a great addition to our network for both business and leisure passengers alike.”

The move brings the total number of routes easyJet operates out of Gatwick to 81, with further additions expected in the near future. “We have even more new destinations to announce soon,” Mr Simmons stated.

© Cheapflights Ltd (Picture credit: title="http://www.flickr.com/photos/33465428@N02/4654030359/" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/33465428@N02/4654030359/" target="_blank">Deanster1983)


(more...)


EasyJet announces new ash detector trials

class="alignright size-full wp-image-26267" title="Easyjet volcanic ash detection system" src="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Easyjet_AVOID.jpg" alt="Easyjet volcanic ash detection system" width="314" height="174" />No-frills carrier title="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/easyJet/" href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/easyJet/" target="_self">easyJet has announced that it will be trialling new technology intended to detect airborne volcanic ash.

The AVOID (Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector) system uses infrared equipment on aircraft to supply images of volcanic ash to both pilots and controllers on the ground.

Pilots can use these images to establish the presence of ash up to 100km ahead, at altitudes between 5,000 and 50,000ft. They can then adjust the aircraft’s flight path accordingly to avoid it.

EasyJet Chief Executive Andy Harrison compared the system to conventional weather radar long-used by airlines, adding: “This pioneering technology is the silver bullet that will make large-scale ash disruption history.”

The creator of AVOID, Dr Fred Prata of the Norwegian Institute for Air Research, stressed that the technology is more powerful than previous prior ash detection devices. He commented: “AVOID enhances the theory around volcanic ash clouds with live data.”

Test flights to determine the system’s effectiveness in detecting volcanic ash concentrations will be carried out by Airbus on behalf of easyJet, using specially configured Airbus A340 test aircraft.

With losses of up to £75 million stemming from volcanic disruption, easyJet is one of many airlines hoping to find a solution that will prevent further large-scale groundings as seen earlier this year. About 1,600 easyJet flights were cancelled during the six-day closure of UK airspace in April.

© Cheapflights Ltd


(more...)


EasyJet brings home stranded ash passengers

class="alignright size-large wp-image-16483" title="Eyjafjallajokull" src="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Eyjafjallajokull-610x406.jpg" alt="Eyjafjallajokull" width="298" height="195" /> href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/easyJet/">

href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/easyJet/">EasyJet has brought home almost all of the 200,000 customers it had stranded overseas in the wake of the volcanic ash cloud crisis.

In what has been described as an “enormous logistical exercise,” the low-cost carrier laid on extra flights to repatriate the huge number of passengers that had been affected by the no-fly zone.

Airspace over the UK and much of Europe was closed for six days from 15 April onwards after a volcanic ash cloud drifted over the continent from href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flight-guide-to-Iceland/">Iceland and stoked safety fears for aircraft engines.

As soon as flights had been given the all-clear, easyJet suspended sales on several routes in order to prioritise the repatriation of those caught up in the travel chaos.

CEO Andy Harrison commented: “Bringing 200,000 passengers home has required a massive airlift, and I thank our passengers for their patience and understanding during this unprecedented natural disaster.”

EasyJet said it could not “exclude the possibility” of some passengers still being stuck overseas, but it urged them to email href="mailto:stillstranded@easyjet.com">stillstranded@easyjet.com with their booking number and surname.

The airline lost about £40 million as a consequence of the ash cloud, with 4,500 of its flights being cancelled and EU law obliging it to foot the bill for stranded passengers’ expenses.

© Cheapflights Ltd (Creative Commons image: href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fimmvorduhals_second_fissure_2010_04_02.JPG" target="_blank">Boaworm / Wikimedia) /> /> Was your easyJet flight affected by the ash cloud? Let us know below


(more...)


EasyJet claims to be UK’s largest airline

class="alignright size-full wp-image-15072" title="EasyJet" src="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/easyjet-plane.jpg" alt="easyjet plane" width="313" height="186" /> href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/easyJet/">EasyJet can claim to be the largest UK airline for the second year running following the publication of new statistics by the Civil Aviation Authority.

According to the low-cost carrier, official figures show that easyJet flew more passengers in 2009 than any other airline operating out of the UK.

EasyJet’s annual total of 28.1 million customers narrowly beat href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/Ryanair/">Ryanair by 50,000, while href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/British-Airways/">British Airways came in third with 26.3 million passengers.

The BA figures were adjusted to reflect journeys made by transfer passengers, and the fourth and fifth spots were rounded off by href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/bmi/">bmi and href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/flybe/">Flybe with a little over 6.5 million each.

Commenting on the data, airline CEO Andy Harrison said: “EasyJet is now the UK’s National airline. Passengers have clearly voted with their feet, boarding easyJet’s aircraft more than any other airline.”

EasyJet’s growth in the UK accompanies its expansion elsewhere in Europe, with the low-cost carrier now the dominant airline at major airports such as href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airports/Malpensa/">Milan Malpensa.

The airline, which currently operates more than 500 routes across 29 countries, is forecasting that it will grow by ten per cent in 2010 to carry more than 50 million passengers.

© Cheapflights Ltd (Creative Commons image: href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/puddy73/3435753734/" target="_blank">puddy_uk / Flickr)


(more...)


Ryanair gets one over easyJet in advertising row

id="attachment_14536" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 250px"> class="size-full wp-image-14536 " title="easyJet" src="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/easyJet.jpg" alt="ASA: EasyJet claims 'all hot air'" width="250" height="185" />
class="wp-caption-text">ASA: EasyJet claims were all hot air

href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/Ryanair/">Ryanair has successfully convinced the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that an advertisement ran by archrival href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/easyJet/">easyJet was unfair on the Irish no-frills carrier.

The easyJet advert, which appeared in poster form, fell foul of regulatory standards for wrongly implying that Ryanair misleads passengers about which airport it will fly them to.

EasyJet has said it is “disappointed” by the ruling but will respect it. The low-cost carrier is also pressing on with its own complaint against allegedly libellous adverts by Ryanair.

The easyJet advert featured the slogan “Who loves flying you to the place you actually booked?” – which appeared above a table listing some of the routes operated by Ryanair.

Two columns appeared in the table, with the first denoting a popular city that passengers typically intend to holiday in and the second denoting the airport that Ryanair’s href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk">flights actually land in. href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flight-guide-to-Barcelona/">Barcelona appeared next to the lesser known Girona, href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flight-guide-to-Paris/">Paris next to Beauvais and href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flight-guide-to-Milan/">Milan next to Bergamo.

Ryanair has in the past been criticised for flying passengers to obscure airports several miles from their intended destination, necessitated a long bus journey upon arrival.

But the ASA was unequivocal in its rejection of easyJet’s complaint, emphasising that at no point did Ryanair mislead its passengers about the destination in question. Customers were given relevant details about their itinerary at all stages of the booking process, the regulator concluded.

“We considered the challenging tone of the headline … combined with the implication that Ryanair misled customers and flew them to airports different to the ones they had booked was denigratory,” a spokesman for the regulator said. “The ad must not appear again in its current form.”

EasyJet UK general manager Paul Simmons accepted the findings, though he added: “It is a well-known fact that easyJet flies to major airports whereas Ryanair serves out-of-town airfields.”

The two carriers are still embroiled in an href="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/2010/02/easyjet-slaps-libel-notice-on-ryanair-boss-oleary-stelios/">unrelated libel suit, which hinges on Ryanair adverts depicting easyJet founder Sir Stelios as a Pinocchio-type character who lies about punctuality statistics. Law firm Schillings has filed a writ over those “baseless and grossly defamatory” inferences.

© Cheapflights Ltd (Creative Commons image: href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucamascaro/2132460073/" target="_blank">lucamascaro / Flickr)


(more...)


EasyJet slaps libel notice on Ryanair boss

id="attachment_13800" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 263px"> class="size-full wp-image-13800" title="Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannu " src="http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Stelios.jpg" alt="Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannu " width="263" height="191" />
class="wp-caption-text">Stelios hits back at 'despicable' O'Leary

The longstanding rivalry between href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/easyJet/">easyJet and href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airlines/Ryanair/">Ryanair has taken a dramatic new twist with news that easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannu is to sue Michael O’Leary.

Ryanair’s boss has been named in a libel writ following his portrayal of Mr Haji-Ioannu as a Pinocchio figure who refuses to publish punctuality statistics for easyJet href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk">flights.

Mr O’Leary had attempted to defuse the spat last week in typically blasé style, challenging his counterpart to a ‘Chariots of Fire’ style race around Trafalgar Square.

But the easyJet boss was not amused by the proposition and has now drafted in libel lawyers Schillings to file a writ over the “baseless and grossly defamatory” statements.

The dispute centres on a Ryanair advertisement which features a doctored photograph of Mr Haji-Ioannu with an elongated nose in the style of children’s character Pinnochio.

Spelling out the allegedly defamatory inference, Schillings helpfully explained that Pinnochio “is known in the public’s mind for the trait that his nose grows when he tells a lie”.

When juxtaposed with a speech bubble carrying the words “punctuality is a top priority,” the law firm contends, the advert amounted to a libellous slur against Mr Haji-Ioannu.

“It was about time someone was willing to spend the money to take this arrogant man to court for his despicable behaviour,” Sir Stelios commented after announcing his decision to sue Mr O’Leary. “He called me a liar, I am not a liar. That is libellous, and I will seek substantial damages.”

For his part, however, the Ryanair boss seems totally unperturbed by the legal spat.

Speaking to journalists last week, he side-stepped questions about the lawsuit by criticising Mr Haji-Ioannu for not responding to his Chariots of Fire proposition. Mr O’Leary opined: “If he’s too scared to run then why doesn’t he accept our challenge to a bout of sumo wrestling instead?”

EasyJet’s defamation suit comes just days after it instructed lawyers to launch separate legal proceedings over repeated claims by Ryanair that it is a “high-fare airline”.

The rivalry between the two carriers last came to a head in 2003, when Mr O’Leary drove a World War II tank up to easyJet’s headquarters at href="http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airports/Luton/">Luton Airport. At the time easyJet, which rarely responds to Ryanair’s taunts, said Mr O’Leary was guilty of “childish, inane, constant babbling”.

© Cheapflights Ltd


(more...)