easyJet had 10 million business passengers in 2012, up from 9 million in 2011

Date added: 25 January, 2013

Easyjet carried more than 10 million business travellers during 2012. That is compared to around 9 million in 2011 and some 8 million in 2010. The total number of passengers is around 50 million per year, so business is some 18% or so. Easyjet added that it expected to benefit from a deal signed in November to provide flights to employees working in the Scottish public sector for trips between London and Scotland. In September, a year after offering free flights to MPs returning to deal with the summer riots, easyJet was added to the list of preferred airlines for both Houses of Parliament. A deal for one year allows cheaper flights than flag carriers for European flights, and works through the Parliament travel management company Hillgate Travel.
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Easyjet sets new record for business travellers

By Rob Gill

24 Jan 2013 (Buying Business Travel)

Easyjet carried more than 10 million business travellers during 2012 – the first time it has broken through this milestone in a year.

The no-frills airline, which continues to target the corporate market, announced today (January 24) that it had passed the 10 million mark in December for passengers travelling on business during a 12-month period.

Overall Easyjet saw total revenue rise by 9.2 per cent to £833 million during the three months between October and December 2012. The airline said it had benefited from higher load factors, advertising campaigns and capacity reductions by competitors.

Easyjet carried a total of 13.7 million passengers during the three-month period with a load factor of 88.6 per cent up by 1 percentage point on the same period in 2011.

The airline said that it had “continued to make progress during the quarter to attract more passengers travelling on business to the airline”.

Easyjet added that it expected to benefit from a deal signed in November to provide flights to employees working in the Scottish public sector.

“It will deliver low-cost, flexible fares on business trips between Scotland and London to employees within public sector organisations such as NHS Scotland, the police force, local government and MSPs,” said the airline in a statement. “In total, around 25% of people in employment in Scotland will be covered by the deal.”

Easyjet said the good start to the financial year should help to cut its winter season losses to £50-£75 million for the six months to March 31, 2013. This compares to a loss of £112 million during the previous winter. Although this forecast does not take into account the potential losses from the bad weather around Europe in the first few weeks of 2013.

Carolyn McCall, Easyjet’s chief executive said: “Easyjet has made a strong start to the year due to a combination of management action, competitor capacity reductions and the benign operating environment.

“The good performance in the quarter and the structurally advantageous position that Easyjet occupies in the European short-haul market means we remain confident in our outlook for the business.”

http://buyingbusinesstravel.com/news/2420268-easyjet-sets-new-record-business-travellers

A year earlier:

Easyjet profits from business travel – now 9 million business passengers per year

A rise in the number of its business and European travellers helped Easyjet report increased profits for 2011. Its pre-tax profit was £248m for the year to 30 September,led by a 11.8% increase in passenger numbers, with 1 million more people using
the airline for business travel. Business passengers now account for over 9 million
annually (out of a total of around 50 million) i.e 18%. EasyJet paid £100m more
in fuel costs during the year, but said it managed to offset this through efficiency
savings.

15 November 2011 (BBC)

Easyjet said the profits rise came despite “the headwinds of higher fuel costs”

A boost in the number of its business and European travellers helped Easyjet
report increased profits for 2011.

The budget airline announced a pre-tax profit of £248m for the year to 30 September,
in line with expectations, up from a profit of £154m in 2010.

The improvement was led by a 11.8% increase in passenger numbers, with one million more people using the airline for business travel.

In September, Easyjet announced a £150m special dividend for shareholders.

The special dividend brings the total cash return to shareholders to £195m, or
45.4 pence per share, for the year.

Easyjet chief executive Carolyn McCall said the results were achieved, “despite
the headwinds of higher fuel costs and a weak and uncertain economic outlook”.

The airline saw a £100m increase in fuel costs during the year, but said it had
managed to offset this through efficiency savings.

Despite the downturn in the eurozone, forward bookings for the Christmas period
were in line with the previous year – with about 45% of seats now booked.

The airline also improved its punctuality with 79% of flights arriving within
15 minutes of their scheduled time, an improvement on the rate of 66% in 2010.

Easyjet has been in dispute with its founder, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, over
the airline’s expansions plans.

Sir Stelios and his family own 38% of the shares in Easyjet, but in September
he said was planning to set up a new airline called Fastjet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15732969

and

easyJet set to attract more business travellers through renewed distribution deal with Amadeus

15.11.2011 (easyJet press release)

easyJet, the UK’s largest airline, has signed a new and enhanced deal with Amadeus,
a leading GDS supplier, which will help the airline capture a bigger share of
the managed corporate travel market.

Amadeus is a leading travel technology partner and transaction processor for
the global travel and tourism industry. In 2007 easyJet was one of the first low
cost airlines to make its inventory available to business travel bookers through
the GDS providers. Almost four years on, this has now been extended. The agreement
also delivers significant technical improvements as Amadeus and easyJet will work
closely together to increase functionality and enhance the booking process for
all travel agents using Amadeus.

Catherine Lynn, Director of Customer and Revenues, at easyJet, commented: “easyJet
has made great gains in the European corporate travel market in recent years.
We carried one million more business travellers last year than the year before and they now account for over 9 million annually. [Total passengers on easyJet are around 50 million per year]

Now more agents and corporate travel buyers will be able book with us and the
improved functionality means it will also be easier for them to do so. This deal
recognises the important role that GDS systems and travel management companies
play in the corporate travel market and will enable us to capitalise on this in
order to gain a larger market share.”

David Doctor, Director, Distribution Marketing, Amadeus “We are delighted with
this new long-term agreement with easyJet and we look forward to enhancing our
Amadeus Ticketless Access product to make it even easier for all our travel agencies
to book easyJet flights.”

This announcement is the latest development in easyJet’s campaign to increase
the number of business travellers which currently stands at over 9 million a year
or 18% of easyJet’s passengers. Those travelling on business are attracted by
easyJet’s extensive route network, high frequencies to main city airports and
low-fares. The airline operates on more of Europe’s top 100 city pairs than any
other airline including British Airways, Lufthansa and Air France.

In recent months easyJet has announced the introduction of Flexi fares which
give passengers flexibility to change the date of their flights. The airline has
also put a corporate sales team in place who have established strong partnerships
with corporates and major travel management companies.

http://corporate.easyjet.com/media/latest-news/news-year-2011/15-11-2011a-en.aspx?sc_lang=en

and

EasyJet strikes deal for Parliamentary air travel

A year after offering free flights to MPs returning to deal with the summer riots, easyJet has been added to the list of preferred airlines for both Houses of Parliament. A deal for one year will allow cheaper flights than flag carriers for European flights, and works through the Parliament travel management company Hillgate Travel. They will get discounts on EasyJet fares. EasyJet is increasingly marketing itself as a business airline and wants more business passengers. They say they have over 9.5 million business passengers per year. From this winter it will be offering reserved seating and has been actively selling packages to the corporate market. Ryanair has complained in the past that the European parliament uses a flight booking system that excludes budget airlines.

EasyJet signs up MPs for Parliamentary travel

A year after offering free flights to Members of Parliament returning to deal with the summer riots, easyJet has been added to the list of preferred airlines for both Houses of Parliament.

The year-long deal should see MPs and Lords using easyJet for both constituency and Parliamentary business travel.

By Jonathan Russell, Assistant City Editor (Telelgraph)

18 Sep 2012

The year-long deal should see MPs and Lords using easyJet for both constituency and Parliamentary business travel. The UK’s 1,500 lawmakers are understood to take tens of thousands of flights a year. EasyJet estimates that of the airlines currently available to MPs on the preferred list it will be cheaper in seven out of 10 flights.

EasyJet chief executive Carolyn McCall said: “We know that many MPs, Peers and Government ministers already fly with easyJet. This deal will make it easier and more cost effective than ever before. We are sure they will vote with their feet and travel with easyJet across Europe.”

In August last year 80 MPs took up easyJet’s offer of free flights to return them to London for an emergency recall of Parliament to debate the riots.

The deal with MPs comes as easyJet is increasingly marketing itself as a business airline. From this winter it will be offering reserved seating and has been actively selling packages to the corporate market.

Earlier this month the airline also sold tens of thousands of seats to Thomas Cook to use in their package holidays.

“This deal is a good example of easyJet’s strategy of increasing the number of business travellers flying with the airline,” Ms McCall said of the tie-up with Parliament. “Over 9.5m business travellers fly with easyJet each year. They are attracted by our combination of low fares and friendly service, carrying our passengers to primary airports at convenient times.”

The deal was done through the Houses of Parliament travel management company Hillgate Travel.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/9549022/EasyJet-signs-up-MPs-for-Parliamentary-travel.html

As one of the comments says: Now we know why Easyjet are allowing pax to choose particular seats!! Can’t imagine an MP standing in the scrum waiting at the gate

RELATED Telegraph ARTICLES

EasyJet switches to allocated seats 05 Sep 2012
Calling time on the pre-flight scrum 05 Sep 2012
easyJet chairman survives attempt to oust him 13 Aug 2012
Also the Daily Mail at

MPs and staff to get perks including speedy boarding in deal to fly easyJet on routes between constituencies and Westminster
17.9.2012
(excerpt)
……the agreement also means that politicians and their staff will be able to enjoy perks – such as speedy boarding – which were not previously available to them.
The flights are being offered to MPs on routes between their constituencies and Westminster, as well as on European trips.
MPs will be given access to the company’s Flexi fare – which includes a bag in the hold, speedy boarding and fast-track security. Passengers usually have to pay between £4.50 and £14 for such perks.
Flexi fare also gives unlimited flexibility to change the date of flights up to two hours before the scheduled departure time. However Flexi fares can be double the cost of a basic flight.
Hillgate Travel has access to fares through around 60 scheduled airlines. MPs are only allowed to claim travel costs incurred ‘in the performance of their parliamentary functions’.
They were supposedly banned from travelling first class in the wake of the expenses scandal. But figures show many are still exploiting a loophole which allows them to book first class tickets if they could find a more expensive standard class ticket.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2204699/MPs-staff-perks-including-spe