EasyJet moves into long-haul
EasyJet is to allow passengers to book long-haul flights with other airlines for the first time after entering into partnership deals with Norwegian and WestJet.
The low-fares carrier is offering connections at its Gatwick hub to Norwegian and WestJet flights to several destinations in the US, Canada, South America and Singapore.
Bookings can be made via easyJet’s new online platform, called Worldwide by EasyJet. Passengers will then be able to connect at Gatwick with a guarantee that if they miss their onward flight they will be placed on the next one available.
EasyJet, which is planning to roll out its connections service to other hubs and destinations in the future, claimed to be the first low-cost carrier to offer a global connections service.
Chief commercial officer Peter Duffy said 70 million passengers that fly though an easyJet airport each year are connecting on to other flights, mainly long haul, and almost 200,000 easyJet passengers a year already connect to other flights at Gatwick.
"It is this market segment that Worldwide by EasyJet will open up for us," he said.
Gatwick chief commercial officer Guy Stephenson said the new service will mean easyJet passengers can more easily and quickly self-connect with other flights at Gatwick, which offers more than 60 long-haul routes.
"It gives passengers more choice, provides genuine savings and takes the hassle out of self-connecting by protecting against missed connections, putting baggage on the onward flight and offering a range of other hospitality benefits," he said.
EasyJet said it is expecting to offer connections on more long-haul airlines soon and is already in discussions with those flying to Asia and the Middle East.
Seats on the new services are available from today. Passengers must have a minimum two-and-a-half-hour connection time to use the service.
Easyjet’s website will also start selling stand-alone tickets on other airlines and Scottish carrier Loganair has signed up as a launch partner. Its tickets will be available on easyjet.com from next month, allowing passengers to book onward flights from Glasgow to the Scottish highlands and islands.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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