[Anonymous]

[AllOverTheGaff]

I thought it considerably better than the Heathrow Live one, which wasn’t difficult, and I learned a couple of things:

– Both airlines fly more passengers than BA
– Easyjet now fly to Moscow
– And I know this is an obvious one, but something I’d not noticed, Easyjet only have Airbus and Ryaniar only have Boeing aircraft….hadn’t paid attention to that before.

Something I already knew, and had reinforced by watching the show, I cannot abide O’Leary and I admire Stelios with the way he grew his empire. I got rather nostalgic too as I remember flying with them back when he only had 2 planes, quite a lot as it happens as the company I worked for at the time had HQ in Hemel Hempstead.

One last thing, it has always puzzled me but I don’t know enough about the airline industry to answer, why have Easyjet never taken on the USA? We had an airline based up here in Jockland called “FlyGlobespan” who put on a 767 (from memory) from GLA to SFB a few years back and when I flew it, the thing was packed! (Their business class wasn’t all bad, and it was cheap-as-chips/direct) So, I’ve always been curious as to why Easyjet don’t take their model transatlantic.

Regards.
AOTG.

[JamesBAgold]

FlyGlobespan went bust so that might be a good reason not to emulate them!

[AllOverTheGaff]

🙂

Indeed James, don’t know if that was specific to their American adventure though, that service seemed really popular.

I flew with them quite a few times actually, based more on convenience out of EDI direct, not a bad wee airline..albeit perhaps not ran as well as it could have been given their subsequent demise.

I’ve had the Easyjet to America conversation more than once with friends, none of us knowledgeable enough about how routes are allocated are able to fathom what EZY’s reluctance is or if there are regulatory issues that stop them from doing so. We thought the latter until Globespan started their service.

Rgds.
AOTG.

[JamesBAgold]

Interestly last night’s London Evening Standard reported that O’Leary is again flying the kite of starting a Ryanair transatlantic service albeit it would need to be economically independent from the existing business… no doubt for fear that its potential failure could damage/destroy his existing very successful business model:-

>”O’Leary again raised the prospect of Ryanair launching transatlantic routes, which he claimed could see fares starting from €10.

“There is an opportunity with the EU-US open skies to, on a fairly big scale, connect 15-20 European cities with 15 of the big US cities almost from day one,” he said. “But you need a fleet of 30, 40, 50 aircraft and not two, four or six.””

http://www.standard.co.uk/business/business-news/ryanair-unveils-1bn-cashback-and-raises-its-passengers-target-8666695.html?origin=internalSearch

The article on the web (above) is a slightly abbreviated version of the print edition and fails to mention that any potential start-up would be through a separate business.

[AllOverTheGaff]

Wow, a doff of my cap to them….

The expansion will be fuelled by new jets as the airline, Europe’s biggest low-cost carrier, finalised an order for 175 Boeing 737-800 aircraft worth $15.6 billion (£9.9 billion) at list prices at the Paris Air Show yesterday.

The deal is the largest single order ever placed by a European airline with the US planemaker.

So, from what O’Leary states in the article, there isn’t really anything stopping them flying to the USA. Quite why EZY haven’t dipped their toe with a LTN – EWR route genuinely escapes me, they have a great service to LTN from all regional UK and European cities then a daily New York flight with no frills might just appeal.

Rgds.
AOTG.

[HongKongLady]

AOG I agree it was a very interesting programme, I have never flown either airline and I do find Mr Oh no Leary rather odious, but I did find some of his comments and policies made me smile. I especially liked the ‘no company pens’, that must save a fourtune and if you know someone that works for them you always know what to buy them for Chritmas. I have flown Fly Be twice, and that was fine apart from the one bag policy means one bag. Silly me thought it meant one bag and a handbag Opps

[canucklad]

Fly Globespan went bust because they were due money from a credit card clearing company…..that company withheld payments due ( black mailed ) to Globespan…without that revenue stream they couldn’t buy fuel and the rest is history…..

If I remember right the Court of Session up held Globespan’s administrators claim to the money that the card clearing company had with held, and basically blamed the company for the demise of Globespan.

Another example of greedy financial practices causing the collapse of a sound business.

[DutchinSwitzerland]

The economies must be different for flying trans-atlantic rather than the “relatively short” distances flying since no reall LCC has set out to fly long distance anywhere (please correct me if i’m wrong). I for one would really dread the prospect sitting in a Ryanair plane for 7-8 hours across the atlantic really…….O’Leary could start with a nice all-economy service from London Stansted to Stewart International Airport (NYC for those whow don’t know this one)……a cheap and cheerful way for people to get to the big apple

[TimFitzgeraldTC]

Hi AOTG

I think the reason they (EZY) haven’t gone longhaul is twofold – fuel costs being so high and burning fuel to carry fuel required for the long flights. Secondly down to fleet utilisation. A round trip to the US will take minimum 15 hours for 2 flights. They could possibly get 6-8 flights in a day flying in and around Europe and they would probably earn more £’s per flown mile at a lower overall cost. Also there as it stands would be no premium passengers paying much higher fares so to fly economy only could possibly lead to a higher average fare than possibly economy on BA. (that last point I have no facts / figures or proof – but it would be interesting to see?).

[AllOverTheGaff]

Hi HKL

I’ve used Easyjet hundreds of times, just last month as it happens and I always find them to be excellent. Well, ‘excellent’ is an over-statement, lets say they full-fill my expectations fully. Cheap, direct, clean, staff are normally terrific and on-time-a-lot-of-the-time.

I did Ryanair once and won’t repeat it. Long story but it just wasn’t my kind of thing, their staff are more of the “well that’s your problem” brigade whereas the Easyjet staff I’ve ever dealt with have been very human. The last trip I had to change both my outbound and inbound flights with Easyjet and it simply could not have been simpler, quick change on the app on my phone and it was done – twice – no fuss.

Interesting now that EZY have gone for the on-board seating arrangement, it does make it feel a little more ‘normal’ and not the scrummage it used to be.

I know Ryanair has its advocates, I’m just not one of them.

Rgds.
AOTG.

[canucklad]

Laker’s Skytrain was successful until the bullies came along and pushed him off ” their patch”……..

And i suspect our “cartels” would just do the same….

O’Blarney has been trying to buy Aer Lingus for a while…

[LuganoPirate]

Watch this space! Think MXP and ViaMilano, Luton and Shannon and add in their new order for the A32x. EZY’s longest flight now is Luxor and Moscow, so just a few hours more??? Rumours here have already started and as they say, no smoke without fire – though perhaps we shouldn’t say that in the same sentence as “aircraft”!

[TimFitzgeraldTC]

Hi LP

A rumour I had heard (and that DXB didn’t want them until the new airport opens) is that they want to go to Dubai. So whilst they may well be looking at it, every extra hour of flying to them is a case of diminishing returns. I’m sure I have seen them mention that before in interviews.

But yes, if they can make it work financially then I would not be surprised to see them get further afield.

[AllOverTheGaff]

@ DutchinSwitzerland – 21/06/2013 11:21 GMT
@ TimFitzgeraldTC – 21/06/2013 11:23 GMT

Hi Guys

I accept that there is a viable business reason why EZY or Ryanair haven’t taken their models over the Pond, and perhaps as you both say they simply don’t see the margin is there to be made.

It was the Easyjet flights to Moscow that got me thinking more about long-haul and why they’ve never bothered. Whilst Moscow isn’t exactly ‘long-haul’ from London, it struck me that this was more of a business route and not leisure orientated, if they can make that one work on a business route, why not do as Globespan did and put on a daily Florida/Vegas/New York plane.

As canucklad states, Laker made it work and whilst I have no figures to prove it, that Globespan plane flew to Florida for a number of years so it must’ve made money for them. Globespan did have the foresight to put a ‘business class’ seat up front, and to be fair it wasn’t all bad, sure EZY could think up a similar aircraft layout.

Maybe EZY should buy an ‘all economy’ A380………oh my….there’s a thought eh?

Rgds.
AOTG.

[Author]

Posts