27 January 2010

EasyJet claims business travel savings

More than £100 can be saved on each return flight when flying with EasyJet, the budget airline claims.

The carrier has released results of an independent survey which it says demonstrates that on the "majority" of journeys it was found to save over £100 per return trip.

ITM Research conducted the independent study using data from journeys made by business travellers. The analysis involved companies across the UK, Germany and other European countries.

The study was conducted on a random sample of 561 itineraries over a range of airlines from the UK during a ten week period in the final quarter of last year. All travellers worked for global corporations in the financial, business services and consultancy sectors.

The results showed that in a high majority of instances - even allowing for point of sale booking fees and purchase of speedy boarding - the low cost carrier offered "significant cost savings overall" on each trip.

Yet none of the booked itineraries were made with EasyJet.

The research also showed that when it came to UK domestic travel, the frequency of the carrier’s schedules meant that 43% passengers could have saved more than £100.

UK general manager Paul Simmons said: "Businesses are continuing to waste money with high-fare airlines, but this research shows that EasyJet is the best value option.

"The airline has tailored its products and services for the business traveller, with frequent flights to major business airports.

We encourage travel procurement managers to seriously challenge the way they go about lowering travel costs.

"In short haul air travel a straight business shift will save companies more money than a bloated, time consuming traditional continual tender process ever will - these numbers prove it."

by Phil Davies

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Your Comments (1)

Business Travel made easy

Yes, go ahead with that! But the survey shows that still many corporates are simply not aware of easyJet´s activities in the corporate world: one reason for this is the poor direct and personal presence at POS: meaning the direct approach to the Travel Manager. They ask for a personal contact and customer oriented service navigation. You can cover a lot by online activities - but what also counts is still the personal approach!

By andreas w. schulz, Friday, January 29, 2010