February 24, 2002

8:00 AM

easyJethas introduced a £0 price as the standard lead-in fare for the majority of flights between Belfast International, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Any chance of a trans-atlantic service too...?
posted by scotty (8 comments total)

More information here.
posted by acridrabbit at 9:27 AM on February 24, 2002

Chances of a transcon? Nil, with easyJet. The easyJet model is the Southwest model, fly one plane, point to point, save as much money as possible

Part of the costs savings is to limit the types of aircraft you fly. SWA flys the Boeing 737-200, -500 and -700, while easyJet flies the 737-300 and -700. For them to run a transcon, they need a plane capable of flying over the oceans while hauling more than the cabin crew, and the 737 isn't it.
posted by eriko at 10:08 AM on February 24, 2002

i don't get it, how can they make any money like this?
posted by mokey at 10:16 AM on February 24, 2002

Typically, mokey, only a few seats pr. flight are offered at super low prices -- or for free, as in this case. Those seats in turn attract a large number of people to consider trips they might not otherwise have thought about -- and even though the free seats are quickly taken, they might still accept one of the alternative offers. I think they key phrase here is "free PR", as this post is proof of in itself.
posted by dagny at 10:27 AM on February 24, 2002

PS: I'm not sure if that is EasyJet's business model here, I'm just suggesting one opportunity.
posted by dagny at 10:28 AM on February 24, 2002

how can they make any money like this?

Volume!

(Sorry. Someone had to.)
posted by webmutant at 10:30 AM on February 24, 2002

how can they make any money like this?

Banner ads! (No one had to, but I did anyway.)

Smells like the kind of shenanigans that hastened Ansett's collapse in Oz.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:21 PM on February 24, 2002

EasyJet works by charging progressively more for seats the closer you get to the time of travel. They may start off at free if you book months ahead, but close to departure time they can actually be more expensive than carriers like British Airways.
posted by kerplunk at 4:19 AM on February 25, 2002