EasyJet sees its chance to grab package hols market
EASYJET has relaunched its package holiday business as it looks to ‘ fill the gap’ left by the collapse of Thomas Cook.
The announcement came as the budget airline reported a 26 per cent drop in profits in the year to September, despite record passenger numbers.
EasyJet Holidays will be launched just before Christmas, offering beach holidays and city breaks ‘for today’s consumer’.
It said it expects the new platform to break even in the 2020 financial year.
Chief executive Johan Lundgren said: ‘I am really thrilled that, with the launch of our brand new EasyJet Holidays business, we are bringing flexibility and excellent value to the holiday market.’
Although 20million people fly with EasyJet to Europe annually, only 500,000 book accommodation through the airline.
Meanwhile, the company blamed ‘some weakness in consumer confidence’ for the fall in pre-tax profits to £427million
■ EASYJET has vowed to become the world’s ‘first major airline to operate net-zero carbon flights’. The carrier said its sustainability programme will offset carbon emissions caused by its planes. The scheme involves investment in forestry, renewable energy and community-based projects. It will be ‘an interim measure’ while new technologies, such as hybrid and electric planes, are being developed, EasyJet added.
for the 12 months to September 30. Although revenues jumped by 8.3 per cent to £6.4billion, total revenue per seat decreased by 1.8 per cent to £60.81.
EasyJet said revenue per seat was better in the second half of the year, due to its initiatives as well as the impact of strikes at rivals British Airways and Ryanair.