Easyjet News
Changes at top for easyJet
BT chairman, Sir Michael Rake, is joining easyJet as deputy chairman amid an ongoing dispute between founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou and the board over the low-cost carrier’s expansion strategy.The move follows the resignation of chairman Sir Colin Chandler at the weekend.
easyJet and HostelWorld.com enter tie-up
easyJet has announced a new partnership with budget accommodation site HostelWorld.com, to offer hostels, B&B and guesthouse accommodation to easyJet customers. The partnership will mean that easyJet customers have access to Hostelworld.com’s inventory of over 20,000 properties in 170 countries worldwide, including all easyJet destinations, through easyJet.com.
easyJet angered by EU slot proposal
In a letter to all 27 European Commissioners, easyJet has called on the EU to “avoid narrow-minded protectionism by a few legacy airlines appealing for state aid through the back door.”
easyJet boardroom bows to Stelios’s call for caution
easyJet‘s boardroom has bowed to pressure from founder and 41-percent shareholder Stelios Haji-Ioannou by cutting back on its expansion plans.At the AGM today, Chairman Colin Chandler indicated plans to add 30 aircraft to raise its fleet size to 197 by 2011, could be shelved against a backdrop of slackening demand.
easyJet launches 13 new routes
easyJet is opening an additional 13 new services across Europe for Summer 2009, bringing its total number of routes to 416. Four of the new routes will operate from Gatwick, including services to Munich, Zurich, Vienna and Bodrum, and one from Manchester to Bodrum.
Stelios warns of bleak times ahead for easyJet
easyJet faces a tough summer as the downturn bites, underlining the need for restricting the size of its fleet, Stelios Haji-Ioannou said at World Economic Forum in Davos.The budget airline founder and former chairman said he welcomed last week’s quarterly results but remained pessimistic on prospects for the year ahead, and reiterated his on-going differences with the boardroom over its plans to grow the fleet rather than focus on potential future dividends.
Flight to value propels easyJet
Businesses downsizing travel expenditure and holidaymakers cutting back on long-haul has helped easyJet report a 32 per cent leap in sales for the fourth quarter. Chief excutive Andy Harrison said its results in half year to end-March “will be ahead of previous guidance”.Total revenue rose to £550 million, up from £418 million a year earlier as the number of passengers rose from 9.1 million to 10.1 million.
Budget airlines slash fares
Europe’s budget carriers heavyweights have joined the price war by announcing across-the-board fare cuts. easyJet unveiled its January sale today with 25 percent off all flights between 1 March up to 30 June 2009. Meanwhile rival Ryanair has put one million seats on sale to over 300 routes.
Stelios eases on easyJet boardroom spat
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou has backed down from his demand to appoint two of his own nominees to the easyJet‘s board of directors.The easyJet founder and main shareholder has been involved in a public feud with his fellow directors over the growth strategy of the airline amid a deepening recession.
easyJet launches 14 new routes across Europe
easyJet is launching 14 new routes across Europe for summer 2009. Nine of the services will operate from UK regional airports, including Newcastle-Malta, Liverpool-Naples and Bristol-Bastia. As part of the expansion, easyJet will base an additional aircraft at Liverpool from 1 June 2009 and at Manchester from 4 August 2009.
Europcar and easyJet team up to offset carbon emissions
Europcar and easyJet have teamed up for an initiative to raise customer awareness of the benefits of carbon offsetting.
easyJet launches online foreign exchange service
easyJet has today announced the launch of a new online foreign exchange service, offering travellers a wide range of foreign currencies and next-day home delivery.First Rate Exchange Services (First Rate) has been appointed as the service provider for easyJet’s travel money service. The company has developed a fully-integrated online foreign exchange ordering and delivery service which allows easyJet customers to choose from over 70 currencies, notes and travellers cheques, as well as receiving currency advice and a secure online payment service.